Kagome's Path
by CayaC
Summary: During an attack against a Bat Taiyoukai, Kagome gets thrown down the well. When she gets up again expecting to be in her world, she finds herself in feudal era. Or is she? She sees someone with silver hair, who she thinks is Inu-Yasha, but is he? And what was the Bat TaiYoukai talking about a Path? Read to find out. Review please!
1. Kagomes start on her new path

Kagome's Path in Time

- Chapter 1 –

- The path meant for Kagome -

Inu-Yasha and Kagome were alone, fighting. Sango, Miroku and Shippou had left to get supplies and not even an hour later, a Bat Taiyoukai attacked them. Kagome shot an arrow with her purification energy, but the damn bat moved too quickly.

"Give me the girl!" The female Bat Taiyoukai hissed at Inu-Yasha.

"Over my dead body, you ugly hag!" Inu-Yasha yelled and kept swinging his sword towards the Bat Taiyoukai

"You cannot avoid destiny little girl!" The Bat Taiyoukai claimed. Kagome stopped

'_W__hat is this Taiyoukai talking about?!' _Kagome notched another arrow and aimed once again at the Taiyoukai.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome asked, clearly curious to the Taiyoukai's statement. The Taiyoukai laughed

"You will see soon enough" she answered devious. Inu-Yasha swung his Tetsaiga, yelling

"Wind Scar!" and at that same moment, Kagome shot her arrow, whispering

"Hit the mark!" Her attack joining Inu-Yasha's like a dance and created a beautiful light show in gold and pink. When the light show faded, Kagome couldn't see the Taiyoukai anymore, so she sighed in relief.

"You shouldn't let your guard down, priestess" Kagome heard, whispered into her ear. She immediately tensed

"Kagome!" she heard Inu-Yasha scream, before everything turned black.

* * *

><p>'<em>This is the path meant for you'<em> Kagome woke up hearing a whisper in her head

_'Great, now I am going crazy'_ Kagome opened her eyes and gasped

_'What the hell?' _Kagome blinked a couple of more times, confused.

_'Why am I in the well?' _Kagome got up painfully, hissing in pain since she had lain in an awkward position. She then climbed up and out of the well, but that only made her more confused

"If I was in the well, then why am I still in the Feudal Era?" she asked herself in a confused whisper. She couldn't remember how she got there. She had fought with Inu-Yasha against a Taiyoukai and she had.. what? Thrown her down the well? Why?

_'This is the path meant for you'_ the words whispered again

"And what the FUCK does that mean?!" She yelled frustrated, but she didn't get an answer. Kagome looked around. Inu-Yasha was around somewhere if she was truly in the era she knew, because the more she looked, the more everything seemed… wrong… different.

"Inu-Yasha?" she called, starting to walk down towards the village of Edo.

"Inu-Yas…" suddenly someone appeared behind her. She could feel his enormous aura. She gulped and the slowly turned around and saw an Inu Taiyoukai, with long silver-ish hair, golden eyes, a crescent blue moon on his forehead

_'Wait… Silver hair, golden eyes, crescent moon? Wrong Inu!'_ But when she got a closer look she saw that… it was not Sesshoumaru who stood before her either.

"No way…" Kagome said gasping

"… but you are dead…" she whispered while paling and all warmth in her body disappeared.

"You are mistaken human" he growled. Kagome felt every bone in her shake in fear and in disbelief of her situation.

"Wh… What year is it?" She asked looking at him, scarred for the answer.

The Taiyoukai looked at her confused

"It is the year of 998, why?" Kagome got even paler.

"No way" she whispered in disbelief, looking confused down on the ground

_'What did that bat do?!'_ It was the last thing she thought before everything again turned black.

* * *

><p>Kagome grunted<p>

_'What a freakish dream'_ She opened her eyes and froze; her face lost all color. The same Taiyoukai, from she had hoped, had been a dream, was sitting by the fire in front of her, looking at her.

"No way… Inu no Tashio" she whispered in awe and fear.

"So, you know who I am" he said suspiciously. Kagome paled even more. She then remembered her situation and got up to her feet. She would have to try the well, so she could go home

_'This is the path meant for you'_ the familiar voice again whispered. She wouldn't hear of it. She had to try. She looked around and saw they were in a cave. And not just any cave, but Onigumo's cave! She was about to leave, forgetting all about the Taiyoukai, when she stopped because of Inu no Tashio, who in a flash, stood before her, blocking the entrance.

"Where are you going?" He asked dangerously. Kagome gulped

"Home?" she answered trying. She was not sure what this Taiyoukai would do to her, or with her! She saw him smirk. And how she hated that smirk! Especially, when it came from Sesshoumaru!

"Not until you have told me why you thought I was dead even though you know of me, and I not you" What could she tell him? The truth?

_'Yeah right… he would kill me in a heartbeat if he is anything like Sesshoumaru'_.

"Do not try to lie, I will know it" he growled.

_'Great! And now he is a mind reader?'_ Kagome sighed defeated and sat back down on her spot.

"I really don't know how to tell you, without losing my head, because you might think me a lunatic"

Tashio's eyes narrowed and sat back down to.

"Try me" he said, with patience in his voice. Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes

"Fine, but it is a long story" Kagome cleared her throat, preparing it for a long talk.

"Okay, first, why I thought you were dead, is because you are, in my time, in the future" she said truthfully, but careful, not knowing on how to behave in front of him. Tashio narrowed his eyes at her.

"What do you mean with your time in the future?" Kagome sighed

"This is where it gets complicated, so I will have to ask you a few questions before I can tell anything, to know what you know, so I don't say anything I shouldn't… Like with you being dead and all… Please? It is important" She saw Tashio give her a hesitant nod.

"Is Sesshoumaru born?" He looked at her questioningly before nodding

"Have you heard of anything in the regards of the names Tenseiga and Tetsaiga?" This time Tashio narrowed his eyes and looked at her suspiciously.

"Those are the names of the two swords that are at this very moment, being crafted" Kagome nodded nervously, hearing the suspicion in his voice. Kagome took a deep breath and smiled at bit.

"By Totosai-sama, correct?" He looked at her surprised again and nodded. Kagome crossed her legs, and closed her eyes, to better concentrate on the story. He was just too intimidating!

"Okay then, I will tell you my story. My name is Kagome Higurashi. I come from the year of 2009, and live in a big village called Tokyo. On my 15th birthday I fell down my families well "The bone eaters well" thanks to a madam centipede. When I got out of the well, I was 500 years back in time. All because of a magical trinket, that I had in my body since birth. In my time I had never heard of youkai or hanyou, so imagine my surprise when youkai came for the magical trinket. The reason they want it, is because it can grant a wish or make the barer 10 times stronger, but things happened and it broke, so I travel the lands to retrieve the pieces with friends. My friends have been through many hardships because of our common enemy, who also collects the broken pieces to get his selfish wish" Kagome paused for air.

"Anyway, I was fighting with… a friend, against a bat Taiyoukai, who claimed I had a destiny to fulfill, before grabbing me, and apparently threw me down the well and… when I woke up in the well, expecting to see my time, I saw the trees and thought that I was still in the Feudal Era, but then you showed up, and tells me I am even further back in time, and an irritating voice in my head keeps saying "This is the path meant for you", but I want to go back to my friends and family!" She yelled the last bit out frustrated. She looked up to meet his gaze. He looked like one in disbelief _'Who can blame him?'_ Kagome thought frustrated.

"Then tell me how it is you know of me, my son, Totosai, and the swords" Kagome smiled to him.

"I know Sesshoumaru as an ally against our common enemy. I know Totosai-sama from my travels and because of Sesshoumaru, since Totosai-sama came flying panicking on his cow because Sesshoumaru was after him…" Kagome giggled at the memory

"I know of you because of your trusted adviser Myoga" Kagome got to her feet and bowed respectfully

"It _is_ an honor to meet the Great Inu no Tashio, Lord of the Western Lands and father to the 'Killing Perfection' Sesshoumaru"_'… and Inu-Yasha'_ she added in her thoughts, before sitting back down.

"It is difficult to believe your story, but I sense that what you have told me, is the truth" Kagome sighed in relief, and smiled at him

"Anything you would like to ask me about? I will be as truthful as I can in a situation like this" She giggled at his surprised face

"Oh come on, is there not something about the future you would…" she was then interrupted when he spoke

"You are hiding someone in your story from me" Kagome paled and gauged surprised at him

_'He could tell?! Fuck! Ok, calm down Kagome, answer as truthfully as you can'_ Kagome took a deep breath

"Yes" She saw Tashio raise an eyebrow in curiosity

"And you cannot tell me who?" Kagome shook her head

"No" Tashio was silent for a moment before speaking again

"Has the person something to do with Sesshoumaru or me?" Kagome paled again, hesitating. Should she tell the truth?

_'Well, as truthful as possible, without giving away too much'_

"Both" She answered. She did not want to give away that they might be related in her answer. Tashio nodded

"I understand"

"What can you tell me of this magical trinket you spoke of?" hmm… What to tell…

"Do you know of the Shikon no Tama?" She saw him shake his head for no.

"It is a jewel, and it will some day become protected by few selected priestess' "he looked at her, as if he expected more

"And that is all you can tell?" Kagome sighed

_'Man, he is tiresome, but I did ask him to ask away… Nice going Kagome'_ She felt frustration forming in her body

"I don't know how much I can tell, even though I do know you wouldn't try to use it" She saw Tashios eyes widen in surprise

"How can you be sure?" Kagome smiled. Looking out into the distance and imagined the stoic and proud figure of Sesshoumaru

"I know because of Sesshoumaru" She had to admit. He was a true warrior. One who trained to become stronger, by him and not gaining strength and power from some jewel. He was beyond that.

"Sesshoumaru has never showed interest in its power, because he desires true power, and not what some magical trinket can give him. And…" Kagome smiled gently at the Taiyoukai

"From the stories I have heard of you and Sesshoumaru, you are both men… Eh… youkais of honor. You both have fought for the respect and power you both have, and that can only be achieved by one self" Kagome looked passionate and felt passionate when she spoke of them both like legends of honor and power. She giggled at herself.

"And yes, you could be stronger with a magical sword by your side, made by a fang or a claw or whatever, but a wish, a selfish wish from that jewel…" She had heard stories from her grandfather of how a young woman, who wished to become the most beautiful woman in the world, since she was quite plain-looking herself. With the wish granted, she had become the most beautiful woman to have ever lived, but she had lost a part of herself. Love. She had many courtiers, but none she chose. But, men became so madly in love with her beauty that they fought to get her, and then chased her to take her for themselves. The story tells she still runs as a ghost from the ghosts of men from the past, whom have chased her to the end of the world.

"If anyone makes a selfish wish, the person will lose a part of them self and have another bad side effect you wouldn't have accepted if known. I have heard stories, one more freighting than the other, with unbelievable consequences" she looked at him again with a big smile

"And that is why I know you wouldn't take it" She saw Tashio smirk

_'There is that smirk again!'_

"You seem to hold a lot of respect towards my son in the future" he put some more wood into the small fire. Kagome had tried to hold it in, but she then burst out laughing

"Gomen, it is just, it might be something between fear and respect. He is like I said 'The Killing Perfection'" Tashio smirked

"It sounds like he will become a great leader one day" Kagome couldn't help but smile, even though she had not seen his leadership abilities per say, she had seen and heard of how he took care of his pack

"I would agree, but he would need to do something about that attitude problem of his. Always being cold, treats humans like pests…" Kagome shot her hand up to cover her mouth in shock. She had just insulted his son, the heir to his throne

_'Nice, just get yourself killed in an unfamiliar time!'_ she screamed at herself mentally

"Gomen… Just forget all that. I am sure he has his good sides, even though I have only seen max. a handful… My friends always seems occupied when it happens though…" she said, now deep in thoughts. It was funny how she always was the only one, who saw him for what he really was. He had saved her and Inu-Yasha more than once. She was still convinced that he didn't want the sword, and only trained Inu-Yasha on how to use it. He was strong enough as it is

_'Which is probably just me hoping…'_ He was kind to Rin. He cared. More than he showed. She knew. She had seen it in his eyes once. His eyes. Gold and cold, but that one time when she had seen warmth… She had felt like melting. She felt someone glare at her intense, and she looked at Tashio, and he seemed slightly annoyed

"Gomen, I was thinking of Sesshoumaru's good moments. I just feel kind of… blessed to have seen something so rare…" That got Tashios curious face back

"What do you mean?" Kagome tried to put the right words together, since it was of a man of honor and pride she spoke of, with a man of honor and pride

"Well… He has saved a friend of mine a couple of times, even though he tried hard to make it look otherwise. And he has saved me once from death, and another friend of mine from death, and in the other era, they have become companions" Kagome smiled at the thought of Rin.

"It seems there is hope for him yet" Tashio stated. Kagome giggled

"Yeah…" Kagome looked up at Tashio

"I feared with the way Sesshoumaru acts, that you would have been the same way, but you talk and sit with me like a friend, even though I am a human, and a miko" she saw Tashio smirk once again

_'Must be a family thing'_

"I am not a bad person, but I rule my lands with a fierce reputation, and is sometimes forced to act as such, to prevent others to get the idea of trying to take over my lands" Kagome smiled

"It is a good idea, but you sometimes need to show kindness like now or mercy, just like now so you can become truly respected" She saw Tashios curiosity

"Care to deliberate?" Kagome smiled

"If you rule and are cruel to the people and are neglecting them, they will either stop having respect towards you and fear you instead, or they will hate you and maybe try to rise up against you, behind a man they do trust and respect. But, if you show them kindness and mercy, while you also are a feared and strong warrior and leader, whose wrath no one will meet or survive, then they will respect you in both mind and heart, and not because they have to, or fear you" She saw Tashio smile big

"You sound very educated. Your family seems they are very prestige in your time" Kagome laughed

"My family does well, but we are not rich. Every child in a certain age gets to attend school for some years to become educated, and when they have finished, they can choose to go and work right after school, or go to a better school to get a better job, which means more money" Tashio nodded, and seemed to understand the bit of information, but he was Sesshoumaru's father, so of course he was intelligent. Tashio seemed deep in thoughts. Kagome yawned and looked at her wristwatch. It was 11 at night! They had talked for hours!

"Your time seems… Interesting" Kagome laughed

"It has many conveniences that do not exist in this time, but I do not think you would like it" She saw Tashios eyebrow went up

"And why not?" Kagome looked up at the stars

"Reason 1: The stars and sky are not this clear in the future because of… well… humans. Reason 2: The entire world in my time has become overpopulated by humans, and that is why there are almost nothing, like the nature you see before your eyes in your lands. As an Inu Taiyoukai, I would presume you would want a lot of green areas and forests, but there are very little of it in my time. Reason 3: In my time, there are many new things, and all those things have many different smells. One of my friends from the other era, have visited my time, and he complaints of the smells every time" Kagome looked up at Tashio who had seemed to pale a bit

"Are you okay?"

"It is just unbelievable that there will exist that many humans and what the consequences of that will be" Kagome nodded in agreement, she too was sad of all the consequences humans had been responsible for over the centuries.

"I admit I love the time before it all changed. I love this nature, the stars and sky's clarity. Even the youkai's and hanyou's in it" Tashio seemed a little taken off by that

"What of the youkais in your time?" Kagome looked up at him nervously

"Well, to tell you the truth, as I told you before, I didn't know of youkai or magic before I travelled back in time" She looked into the fire

"In my time youkai are stories and legends. I have given it a lot of thought in this matter, and when I had the time (which wasn't much) I searched for any sign of a war or a disease that could have killed all youkai or the most, but found nothing, so my guess is, since the humans began to rise in numbers and new powerful weapons created, the youkai must have hidden themselves and started their lives living like humans amongst humans… and they are now remembered as legends and myths… This is the best explanation I can come up with since I could find no data, but I have felt few youkai's in my time" Then there was an awkward silence. It was almost excruciating.

"I am sorry if it was not what you would want to hear, but the only advice I can give you, seeing I also know what happens to you in the future is that, appreciate each moment, because by the next you could be dead or a change could occur, and there will always be change. That is a fact to life. So even if you like the change or not, you would have to live with it the best that you can, so appreciate your life and the ones in it" Tashio smiled to Kagome who smiled back

"You are very wise, for a human as young as you" Kagome burst out into laughing, but stopped when she saw Tashios confused face. Of course he wouldn't understand why she thought it funny

"Gomen, but no one has ever called me wise. If anything, they would call me the opposite" Kagome smirked. She had lost count of all the 'Stupid, naïve, reckless etc.' name callings that Inu-Yasha had been so keen on calling her when she had displeased him

"And why would anyone do that?" Kagome smiled lightly at that

"You must understand that I come from another time where humans, are equals, in most countries anyway. Men AND women have the same rights. They are more open to things as sexuality and religion, beliefs and so on, and they are very much different on a lot of parts, than humans in this time or the other of mine. They are still greedy, jealous, power-hungry and so on, but they behave much different" Kagome took a deep breath

"But, I take a lot of risks. Do things without thinking. I apparently show my emotions differently from others, or I am more self-aware, since humans in my time know more of the mind and body, so that might affect me in a way, that could make me seem strange to others. But, most importantly. I follow my heart, and it is usually it, that makes me do all those things. Where people from my time would probably see it as bold and brave or kind, many people in this time, would see it as stupidity" Kagome explained

"And, I don't believe in prejudice, and many believe it strange in the other time era. But I have friends who are youkai and hanyou. I see the person inside, not what others tell me they are…" Tashio smiled. He was actually quite gorgeous when he smiled

_'I wonder how Sesshoumaru looks like smiling big?'_ Kagome tensed a bit

_'What! Why, did I just think that!?'_

"You are a strange human indeed" Kagome laughed

"You are not the first one to say that, and I predict you are not the last to say so" Tashio smirked and looked outside

"It would be wise to sleep, so we can leave for my palace in the morning" Kagome paled. She looked up at him

_'His palace? But… Sesshoumaru would be there… And his MATE!' _

"Are Sesshoumaru and your mate present at the palace?" She asked, hoped they were NOT!

"Yes" Tashio answered. Kagome paled even more

"Maybe I should just try the well again, or find different sleeping arrangements…"

"Nonsense… You said it yourself, that your path is here now, and we can always try that. Besides, my mate would appreciate your company, as I am sure Sesshoumaru will" She saw Tashio with a glint in his eye, which only made her pale even more if human possible, and that caused Tashio to laugh

"Don't worry. My mate loves guests and Sesshoumaru usually just spends all his time hunting in the forest or train all day" Kagome looked serious at Tashio

"We shouldn't tell Sesshoumaru the truth about where I am from" Tashios eyebrow went up

"And why should we tell my mate?" There was something in the way he had said it, that sounded like it was a test, and she did not want to fail!

"For my security and yours, it would be best if you didn't have to lie or keep a secret such as this from her. If she is anything like I believe she is, then I would prefer not to feel her wrath, since I am only human and don't think I would survive it" she answered with a sheepish smile. Tashio laughed harder

"Do not worry young miko and get some sleep. I promise you my protection, so my mate will not harm you, or any other for that matter… like Sesshoumaru" He promised while laughing. Kagome sighed

_"Thank god!"_ she whispered low

"I heard that" Kagome sent him a glare

"Gomen, but he has tried to kill me more than once, and I am pretty sure he hates me, so sorry for being just a little nervous to meet him" she said spiteful. Tashio smirked

"Just a little? I do not even have to smell your fear, I can see you shake even from here" he teased. Kagome got up to her feet, all her weight on one foot, a hand on her hip and the other hand pointing up as to make a point

"There are plenty of reasons for being afraid of Sesshoumaru, and since I do not know the Sesshoumaru in this time, I cannot imagine how he is now, and that too scares me…" She said, sounding a little deflated at the end of her statement. She saw Tashio raise his eyebrow

"And what makes you think he is not the same here as in the era you know him from?" Kagome froze. She hoped not. She looked down at the ground, unable to look Tashio in the eye with what she was about to say

"…Because of some events that happened in his life. They were really tragic, and it would change anyone. But, I fear that he is the same as the one I know, and if he is, and the events didn't affect him, then I have lost all respect to the future Sesshoumaru, and can only hope that my friend is strong enough to melt his heart of ice" She saw Tashios shocked face

"Why?" Kagome sighed

"… Because, as I said, these events would have changed anyone with a heart. And if he is the same cold-hearted Sesshoumaru in this era as well, then I fear for his heart" Kagomes looked saddened at Tashio

"I cannot respect a leader who cannot show any emotion. How is he to take care of his people if he does not understand their feelings? If he doesn't show them kindness or mercy? If he is not open-minded to change or others ideas… And what about love? I would believe you would want that for your son… But I do have hope for him still. My friend is my hope" Kagome again looked into the fire. Love. She had once thought that she loved Inu-Yasha. She did, but as a big brother, who could be overprotective. When she thought about it, she had never been in love, ever. She thought of Sesshoumaru. He had lived a very long life, but he had never found love. It saddened her to think about it. She looked up when Tashio spoke

"Why do you have such hope in a man you fear?" She could see he was curious

"… Because that is who I am. I choose to believe there is good in everyone, but it is the person who decides if they want to live like good people… And I might have made it sound like Sesshoumaru doesn't have goodness in him, but I know he has" Kagome looked at the stars once again

"Since my friend came into his life, I have seen the good in him. I fear his power, yes, but I respect him as a person… But again if he is still cold and stoic and prejudice and closed, and if he is the same Sesshoumaru in this time as he was the very first time I saw him, then I will lose that respect and instead fear for his heart"

"Who is this friend of yours, who affects my son so much?" Kagome smiled big

"Rin. A little piece of sunshine. She is always smiling. She loves to collect flowers and gives them to Sesshoumaru every time. She has a lot of energy and embraces life, and she is very contempt by staying at Sesshoumaru's side" Kagome looked back at Tashio

"They first met when Sesshoumaru had been badly wounded after a battle. Rin, who is a human child at the age of 8, found him and nursed him and brought him food" Tashio looked at her shocked

"A human child?" Kagome nodded smiling

"He saved her life with the Tenseiga, when wolves had killed her. When Sesshoumaru brought her back, she has been travelling with him ever since, since her parents were dead" Tashio nodded, and seemed deep in thought.

"And he cares for her. I have seen it. The only small smile I have ever seen him make, when Rin gave him a necklace of flowers she had used many hours to make. It was so beautiful that moment" Kagome sighed and smiled at the memory. He had been so breathtaking when he had done that

"Beautiful? Because of a mere smile?" Tashio asked, clearly confused

"Yeah… Sesshoumaru in the future does not smile. He just simply doesn't. Rin have only seen 2, 1 with me, but he mostly just have his mask on, sends a deathly glare or that famous smirk that you, yourself seem to like so much" Kagome said teasingly with the last part

"_He does not smile?"_ Tashio whispered for himself. Kagome looked at him for a while before laying down, deciding to sleep

"Well, goodnight Tashio" Tashio smirked at the girl who had been bold enough in not calling him by his respected title

"Goodnight Kagome".


	2. Conflicted Emotions

Chapter 2 –

Conflicted emotions -

Kagome felt wind blowing on her face and it was a chilly wind, but she was leaning up against a warm chest

_'Wait? A warm chest?'_ She opened her eyes and looked right into a pair of golden eyes, looking curiously at her

"Wh… What are you doing?" she asked flat. She was not a morning person. She saw Tashio smirk

"I thought I could just carry you while you slept, so we could make it to the palace earlier" Kagome went pale

"And what if I had no interest in making it to the palace early?" Tashio laughed and she felt his chest vibrate. Kagome smiled warmly

_'He has a warm laugh'_

"Oh come on little miko. Would you not rather want a nice big bed than the cold ground?" Kagome thought about it. A palace with a nice big bed and 3 inu youkais, or the ground and cold

"I choose the ground" she mumbled. Again Tashio just laughed. Then Kagome made the mistake of looking around to see her surroundings. They were flying on his demon cloud! Kagome grasped his haori with her hands, and held it with a death grip. All color had left her face and she buried her head into his chest

"Let me down and I will gladly go to your palace and meet your family" she felt his gaze on her and he just chuckled at her!

"Afraid of heights little miko?" Kagome growled and looked up at him

"It is not in the human's nature to fly or to be able to stand on clouds, and I wouldn't call it afraid, more like a… great fear of death from heights" Tashio laughed again

"Even though you cannot stand on a youkais demon cloud, you surely know how to growl like one" he said while smirking. Kagome blushed and reburied her face in his chest

"We will be there soon, so just hang on tightly" Kagome did as he said and felt the pace quicken.

After what only seemed like 20 minutes tops, she felt them descend to the ground.

"You can let go now Kagome" Kagome opened her eyes and let go of her firm grip. Tashio helped her to her feet. When she looked up, she saw a big palace. A very BIG palace with a small village next to it. The palace itself almost seemed larger than the village!

"It is very beautiful Lord Inu no Tashio" Kagome said, still looking amazed at the palace

"You only need to use my honorific when in public" Kagome turned to face him and smiled, which quickly vanished

"Maybe we should find out what to tell everyone, the reason I am here" Tashio nodded

"Well, you are a miko, and the town needs one" Kagome smiled. That could be a great experience, and she could meet new people and help if it was needed

"I would love that very much" Kagome smiled

"But, that would also mean that I should stay in the village, and not the palace" She saw Tashio smirk

"Ah but you are an invited guest, and it would take time to make preparations to build you hut and then building it, and then you would need supplies…" Kagome hold a hand up to stop him

"I have taken your point, but make sure it happens anyway… If this is my new path, I could just as well have a new home" she fought her tears while saying it

"Do not give up hope. You might get to see your friends and family one day" Tashio laid a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Kagome gave him a weak smile before nodding, not trusting her voice at the moment. He gestured for them to walk down towards the palace.

When they were near the gates Kagome slowed down a bit till she was respectfully long enough distance from him. Just so no one would be offended that she walked beside him like an equal. Kagome saw the respectful bows to their Lord and their hesitant nods to her. They continued walking, and major BIG doors opened in front of them. Again they just walked, and walked… and walked

"Ano, Tashio, where are we going?" she whispered careful if someone lurked in the corners. Someone could, since everything was huge and there was a long way just too each corner… But figured since they might be in their demon forms a lot.

"My study" Kagome just nodded, curiously following him. At last they reached, again, a big door that opened. They walked in and Kagome froze to the spot, her eyes widen with joy and a big smile on her lips. To all sides but one, stood bookcase after bookcase, after… you get the idea… with many, many thousands of books. She loved reading and this was like a candy shop for a fat kid, to her. Stunned and in a trance-like state, she moved to the first bookcase. Wars in youkai history. Wars in human's history. Demon warfare. Human warfare. Warfare for dummies… Kagome burst out in laughter when she saw that one. She laughed hysterically

"Seriously? Warfare for dummies? Why do you have that?" Kagome asked when she could finally speak without laughing. Tashio grinned

"It is a book used to teach young youkai children about warfare. They too, get educated from a young age" Tashio explained. Kagome nodded, understanding the reason.

"I must say Tashio, you do really have a beautiful library" Kagome slid her hands over the backs off the books

"When I was young, after my father died, I always snuck into the library and read the stories he used to read for me. Since then, I had always been at the library a least once a week, but my travel through time changed that…" Kagome looked with a sad smile at Tashio

"I am sorry for your father's death. What happened?" Kagome went over to the chair in front of the desk for guests, and sat down

"It is okay, it happened when I was 8, so it has been a long time. He was a police officer, a man who works to keep people safe and catch the bad guys and deliver them to the judge, who judges them upon for their crimes, and one day there was a… battle between some policemen, including my father against some really bad guys who sold addictive drugs for a living, which is illegal in most countries in my time, but... he got killed in the battle" She had remembered how her mother had cried for months, though she had stood strong for Souta who was only 4 at the time.

"It is always a shame and hard when a child loses his or hers parent" Kagome nodded in agreement. Then they heard a knock on the door

"Enter" Tashio said. The door opened and Sesshoumaru came in. Kagome immediately stood to her feet, bowing respectfully. She looked up. He looked… young. He had always looked young, but the Sesshoumaru she knew was a man, looking like a 25-year-old, while this Sesshoumaru looked 19-ish. She put her emotionless mask on that she had practiced in the Feudal era, and looked at him. He bowed to his father, and then he acknowledged her with a nod, but she could see the curiosity in him. Well, that was definitely an emotion she had never seen in him before. She turned to look at Tashio, waiting for him to make the introductions

"My son, this is our guest Lady Kagome, a miko, who have agreed to stay in the village and help them if needed. Lady Kagome, this is my son Sesshoumaru and the heir of this land" Kagome once again bowed to Sesshoumaru

"It is an honor to meet you Lord Sesshoumaru" Kagome said emotionless. She didn't want to act like she knew him or seem disrespectful, so she kept her mask, like future Sesshoumaru's, on. She saw Sesshoumaru bow back

"The honor is mine. It is a relief that the village finally has a miko" Kagome stood solid, frozen, shocked. He had bowed to her, and then he had treated her with respect. One side of her screamed of joy, that he didn't seem to have a heart of ice, though looks can deceive, she would give him a chance. She saw Sesshoumaru look at her curious, and she turned to look at Tashio, not knowing what to say. And that was a first! This new Sesshoumaru, even after a couple of seconds had made her speechless! Never happened before! Tashio laughed

"Correct, and she will be staying here as a guest, till her hut is ready" Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome just looked down at the desk. She was on unknown territory.

"Ano, Lord Inu no Tashio, I was wondering if it could be possible to get some rest, so if you could just point me in the right direction, then I will be of to the servants quarters" She felt two gazes and looked up to see Tashio's big grin

"Nonsense Lady Kagome, you are a guest and I expect you being treated as such. My son can show you to your room" Kagome paled, trying really hard to hide it, but failed miserably

"This way Lady Kagome" she heard Sesshoumaru said, she turned to see him offer his arm. She looked at him dumbstruck. She couldn't believe what was going on. She felt she was in a parallel universe, where everything was opposite. And the opposite Sesshoumaru was making her… nervous… unable to speak... really uneasy... She looked down at his arm and hesitantly put her arm around it. She looked at Tashio, who had a big evil grin on his face. Kagome send him a glare that promised pain later. He only started to laugh. Kagome sighed and looked at Sesshoumaru, who in return looked at her confused. She gave him a small smile, before Sesshoumaru led her out the study. They walked in awkward silence down the hall, and turned, and walked, and turned, and walked

_'Damn, this place is too huge! Thank god I am not going to live here! I would get lost on a daily basis!'_

"Is something the matter Lady Kagome?" Kagome paled again. This was just so surreal. Kagome plastered a fake smile on her lips

"I am a bit homesick, and this place is just too… have can I put it… _ridiculously_ big that I would get lost every second" Sesshoumaru chuckled. She smiled. She liked that sound

"Where do you live?" Kagome looked up at him. If Tashio could tell if she told a lie, then Sesshoumaru probably could too, so she decided to keep close enough to the truth

"I lived in a far away village called Tokyo with my mother, grandfather and younger brother" Kagome said, smiling a bit sadly

"Why did you leave?" Ok, so Sesshoumaru had a nosy side to, who knew?

"I followed my path in life, and that separated my life with them" Kagome looked forward. She felt tears fighting through, but she wouldn't let them out.

"I apologize for my curiosity" Sesshoumaru said. Kagome looked at him with a small smile

"It is all right Milord. I have not yet truly come to accept my path and the consequences that follows it, but Lord Inu no Tashio seems like he is a great Lord to his people, and I am relieved that he gave me the honor of being the miko of your village" They stopped in front of a big door which looked like the same one as the one from the study.

"He is, and I would only hope to become as good a leader as he is, one day" Kagome looked him in the eye for the first time, which only shocked her. She could actually see warmth in those eyes. Never in a million years would she have hoped to see this. She smiled big up to him

"I am sure you will be" Sesshoumaru bowed in gratitude and opened the doors. She went in to see a BIG room, with big dark furniture. Everything was kept in earth colors; green, brown, red and yellow. It was very beautiful. It was a room for a Lady

"I must say I feel under privileged. This is a room for a Lady and I am hardly a Lady of these standards" She saw Sesshoumaru smile a small smile at her. It made her heart skip a beat. He just smiled to her!

_'Get a grip Kagome! Remember who he will become!'_ Oh, yeah… Forgot… Killing perfection, cold ice prince, doesn't care, hates her, more importantly humans. She would just act polite and act like any 'servant' towards the Lords and Lady.

"I assure you that this room is perfect for your standard Lady Kagome" He then shocked her by gently taking her hand and kissed it. She blushed and then paled, then both. Her heart was pounding fast, but her mind had frozen

'_He just… kissed me?'_ She feared that if he kept this going she would have a mental lock-down from too much pressure of information and emotions to her brain.

"Are you sure that you are all right? You seem to pale a lot" She saw him looking at her concerned. Concerned?!

_'He needs to go… Too much change at one time…!'_

"I am sorry, I might be coming down with a sickness of a sort"

_'Yeah, it's called denial!'_ She saw Sesshoumaru sniff the air

_'Fuck! Now he will know it is not a sickness'_ Kagome stepped further in

"Or maybe I am just exhausted from the journey, I should maybe go lie down for a bit" She bowed

"Thank you for showing me to my temporarily room, it was very kind of you"

_'Kind? What am I saying… He needs to get out… Now! Before I screw this up!'_ She saw Sesshoumaru, again with confusion on his face, mixed with curiosity. He bowed

"It was my pleasure my Lady. I hope to see you at dinner" and with that he went out. Kagome massaged her temples. She felt a headache coming. She had never expected this. She had expected growls, glares, being ignored or lowered… Maybe even an attempt on being killed once or twice, but NEVER this. It was confusing and… sad. She sat down on the bed. To believe he could be this kind and show those kinds of emotions… She felt a sudden deeper respect towards Sesshoumaru, both in this time, and in his future. Kagome gasped in pain. Her headache was fierce… She laid down on the bed, closing her eyes to rest for a bit.

* * *

><p>She felt a hand pushing her gently back and forth. She whimpered. She could still feel the headache<p>

"Go away. I don't feel good". She now believed the cause of the headache was her tension or overload of information, or was it from emotional distress? Much had happened in a short time and her body was apparently reaction to it. It had not helped that she had dreamed of her friends and family. She could still feel the tears in her eyes from crying in her sleep. She felt the hand pushing her lightly again. She opened her eyes slowly and annoyed, and turned her head to look at her victim, so she could give the intruder a piece of her mind!. She looked up to see a beautiful woman with long white hair, red lips, golden eyes, one pink strike just below each eye and… a purple crescent moon… Sesshoumaru's mother! Kagome paled

"Gomen, I did not know it was you Milady" She tried to get out of bed to bow, but felt herself being pushed back into the bed

"Do not worry about it. Sesshoumaru told me you were not well, and I can see he was right" Kagome looked at the woman

"I only have a headache. I just need to relax a bit" Kagome excused. The Lady looked at her with a knowing look

"I can feel you have much emotional distress in you. And I understand, since I have heard of your… situation" Kagome did not know if she liked the tone in her Lady's voice. It sounded like she was insinuating something, but that could just be paranoia. Kagome smiled weakly to her new Lady

"I will be fine with time" The Lady smirked

"Yes, but it was time that is the cause too your emotional distress" This time is was Kagome's time to smirk

"Yes, but my sanity could not take anymore when Lord Sesshoumaru escorted me to my room, and it caused the most of the distress at the time" She saw her Lady's surprised look

"What do you mean? Did he do anything disrespectful?" Kagome giggled when she saw her Lady look horrified at the mere thought

"No, he treated me with respect, he showed me kindness, he smiled and he kissed my hand… Never did I see this coming. I almost went into a coma of shock…" Kagome stopped when she realized what she was saying

"Gomen, I do not wish to seem rude or disrespectful or even ungrateful, but you must understand that the Sesshoumaru I know does not behave like that towards me… He has tried to kill me, and I would bet every penny... err... coin that I own, that he dislikes me a lot" Kagome tried to explain. Her Lady smiled gently

"I understand. Tashio have already told me that your relationship were tense, but I did not know it was that extreme, but that... I will take care of later" she said with a mischievous smile on her lips. Kagome giggled

"I hope you could do it after he has made the preparations for my hut Milady" Kagome sad smiling. The Lady laughed and looked at her with a small smile

"He told me that you were against coming in living here. Can I ask the reason why?" Kagome's smile vanished, and she sighed

"It is not that I am not grateful. I really do appreciate everything you are doing for me, but this with Sesshoumaru is awkward, and I really do want to meet the villagers, but I also want to try to find my way home. I don't know what that voice means with this is my path. I don't know what they hope for me to do here?! I have responsibilities in another time era, with my friends, and responsibilities in my time with my family, but every day I am gone, everyday they will lose hope in me being alive, and so will my family…" Kagome was starting to cry out frustrated with her situation. She felt arms around her. Hugging her.

"We will take care of you till you find it Kagome" her Lady whispered. Kagome tried hard to stop her crying.

"If you do that it will only get harder for me when I leave" Kagome whispered. Kagome then remembered her own advice to Tashio. Kagome smiled a small smile and looked up at her Lady

"But I will try to appreciate every moment I will be here, it was after all an advice I gave to Milord, so I should try to follow it myself" Her Lady smiled back and nodded in agreement, relieved. Kagome noticed her headache was gone. Maybe it had been the crying and talk that had done the trick.

"I will go and attend to my duties, so I will look forward to see you at dinner tonight" she got to her feet, and bowed slightly before vanishing out the door. Kagome smiled. Who would have thought that Sesshoumaru's mother would be so kind? She liked her immediately. Which youkai Lady would come to the human guests room to check up on them? She felt honored.

Kagome got to her feet to look around her room. She looked, and looked, and looked. It was a big room, but no books. What could she possibly entertain herself with until dinner? She went out of her room. Looking to her right, left and then straight ahead. 3 ways. The study was on the right, so she walked forward, assuming the other sleeping quarters were at her left. She walked, and walked

_'Oh my god this is just too big! It would probably take a freaking whole day to just get around seeing everything'_. She stopped when she saw an opening leading outside. She stepped out to find a shooting range and a practice range. She then saw bows and arrows to her right

_'Well, I have nothing else to do'_. She picked up a bow and some arrows and walked up to the shooting range. She went into her stance and notched an arrow smoothly. She aimed. Concentrated, and took a breath in. When she let it out she released the arrow, and it flew with purification energy infused in it, through the air fast, hitting dead on, on its target. She smiled. She had practiced her shooting in secret, and she was becoming good, not Kikiyo good yet, but good. She notched another arrow in one smooth motion and aimed again. This time trying to infuse the arrow with more energy, and let it go. It hid the same spot, but broke the tree in two

"Ops…" She looked at the broken tree

_'I don't hope I will get in trouble for that'_

"Do not worry, it is just a tree and nothing else happened" She froze when she heard Sesshoumaru's voice. How long had he been standing there? She turned to see him smile gently at her. Kagome couldn't help the blush that appear slightly on her cheeks

"Gomen anyway Lord Sesshoumaru" she said bowing, trying to avoid eye contact. She refused to see his emotions in them. This Sesshoumaru was still so surreal, so she would take it one step at the time, trying to get to know this Sesshoumaru instead. She saw by Sesshoumaru's boots that he was coming closer. She straightened up, but still looked at the ground

"You are a skilled miko. I have never seen a sacred arrow before, and I have met a lot of miko's" he sounded… a little annoyed? Well closer than nothing to the old Sesshoumaru, she guessed

"Only few get to posses such power, but skilled? Hardly Milord" she answered, still looking down the ground

"Why do you not see yourself as skilled when you posses this power?" she heard curiosity in his voiced, but mixed with annoyance

_'I wonder what makes him annoyed?'_

"I only just shot two arrows, and that alone do not qualify me as skilled. I have gotten better recently, but I am still a way from being skilled Milord" she answered. She kept her head low and eyes on the ground. She tensed when he in a flash stood before her, making her look into his chest. She paled

_'Ok god! What is he going to do?'_

"Why do you fear me?" Okay, she had not seen that coming, but she should have. She admitted she had acted awkwardly towards him, but it was not like she could tell him the truth!

"I do not know you, but I know what you are. I am a guest, a miko staying with three youkais… It is intimidating, I am sorry for the weakness" She felt his hand under her cheek, forcing her face up to look at him. She looked him in the eyes and saw suspicion

"You seemed relaxed enough in my father's company" Kagome smiled a small smile

"I know him a bit more than I know you" Kagome stated, lying, without even really doing it, since she didn't _really _know this Sesshoumaru

"So, you are not more than a guest here?" Oh, she heard the insinuation in his voice! Kagome took a step back and glared at him

_'Oh no he did not just insinuate that!'_

"How dare you?! You don't even know me, and you just decide to stamp me as whore, just because I feel a lot safer with him than I do with you? He has promised me protection and a life at his village, but if you think of me as your fathers whore then I am leaving! I don't deserve treatment like that!" Kagome yelled furious and walked past a stunned Sesshoumaru and tried to get back to her room quick, but without running. She found it fast and went in, throwing herself on the bed. She took a pillow, pushed it to her face and screamed into it with all her might, frustrated

_'How dare he? First he compliments me and then insults me!? What a jerk!'_ She removed her pillow from her face when she heard a knock on the door

"Who is it?" she asked, having a good feeling on whom it might be

"Sesshoumaru. Can I enter Lady Kagome?" She looked at the door and sighed. She couldn't be rude to those who helped her. She got up from the bed and sat down on the chair next to the fireplace

"You may" she answered emotionless, looking into the fire, even when he came in

"I came to apologize for my disrespect, it was not my place to question my father's guests" she looked at him, he was bowing. She took in a breath, she did not like seeing him like that, so she got up and walked over to him

"Of course you have to question a guest, when it is a complete stranger with deadly powers towards demons, and who could be a threat to your lands. It is the job as the heir of these lands, but I accept your apology none the less" He looked up at her, surprised

"What? Just because I am human, it does not mean I am not educated, experienced or are unknown to some off the Lord and the Lady's responsibilities (Since she had read a lot about it, and had been taught from her friends), and it is your responsibility to make sure your lands stays safe, even if you are not the Lord yet" He smiled at her. If he kept that up, she would become addicted to it she concluded

"You continue to surprise me Lady Kagome" Kagome blushed

"Hopefully not in a negative way, I would rather like to keep my head" she answered jokingly. She saw Sesshoumaru's smile vanish

"Absolutely not. Do you believe that all youkai kill for small reasons like that?" Kagome frowned

"No I do not believe in discrimination. I look for the person, but I also know of youkais and hanyous beasts. I have seen both in action, and it is not pretty when angered" Kagome felt chills when she remembered how Sesshoumaru had tried to kill her and Inu-Yasha in his youkai form, or when Inu-Yasha's beast had taken over, killing everything on its way. She shook her head to get the pictures out of her head. She looked up at Sesshoumaru and smiled

"I know you wouldn't kill me, and you must learn to hear and take a joke when presented Milord, I did not want to seem disrespectful" she bowed a bit, to show she wasn't being disrespectful. She then looked at him. Silence. It was that awkward silence again.

"I am sorry Lord Sesshoumaru. This has been very distressful for me, and you are all treating me with respect. Gomen" She bowed lower. She felt her chin being lifted, his hand was under her cheek so she could see directly into his eyes

"I accept the apology, and I will try to understand your situation" Kagome smiled

"Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru" she felt his hand leaving her face

"I will return to my duties" he then bowed and left sudden. Kagome shook her head. It was not her problem. She was only meant to be there temporarily, and it was best to avoid Sesshoumaru the best that she could. Even though…

_'I wouldn't mind him smiling at me like that again'_ she blushed at the memory. God, he was… breathtakingly handsome. An angel among humans and demons… Kagome shook her head. What was she thinking? This Sesshoumaru was gone in the future. She couldn't allow herself to get used to him. She sat down on the chair in front of the fireplace, and waited for dinner, so she could get it over with.


	3. New abillities and discoveries

Chapter 3 –

A knock sounded on the door

"Come in" she saw a servant enter the room and bowed

"I will be your servant this evening Lady Kagome. I will help you with your preparations for dinner" before Kagome got to object, the servant had picked a kimono for Kagome and was ripping Kagome's clothes off. She was then led to a side room, where she cleansed and scrubbed and dried of, to then getting the purple kimono on with pink and black flower paddles, and a black scarf, finishing the clothes. She then had her hair styled, though after many protest. She was then led to the dining hall. When she entered, she saw Tashio at the head of the table, his mate at his left, and Sesshoumaru on his right. Where was she supposed to sit?

"Good evening Lord Inu no Tashio, Milady, Lord Sesshoumaru" she said bowing to each of them. Her Lady gestured to sit next to her, so she did as told. The food came in and several servants served their food. When Tashio took the first bite, they also began with their meals. There was no conversation. It was kind of nerve wrecking. An awkward silence… Again… There were many of those in this palace. She kept her eyes at her plate, even though she could feel gazes on her. She just kept eating, with her mask on.

"What do you think of your room?" Tashio finally asked, breaking the silence. Kagome looked at him with a grateful smile

"Wonderful, thank you. You really have an amazing home" Tashio smiled proud

"It has been in the Inu family for generations. My grandfather and father added extra wings to the palace over the years, but I am very proud of it" Kagome smiled

"Understandable" Kagome added. She tried to ignore Sesshoumaru's gaze on her, even though it was hard

"If it is of any interest, you can come by my study and pick some books in my collection to read" Tashio offered. Kagome's smile grew big, her eyes shining

"Really? I would love to" Tashio laughed

"It is rare to see such enthusiasm in reading" Tashio commented. Kagome smiled

"Well, you already know why I got started, but books have always been a big part of my life" she said, still smiling, though not just as great anymore. She had already talked of her father twice in a day. She hadn't talked about him for many years. She missed his voice. His warmth. Him.

"Is there any particular topic you prefer?" she heard Sesshoumaru ask, bringing her back from her stray of thoughts and memories. She looked at him, but still not in the eyes and smiled

"No, not really. I even like to read educative books, just to learn. I love knowledge, and I believe, the more, the better" Sesshoumaru returned her smile. Kagome looked into his eyes. They locked gazes. Looked into each others eyes. His was so incredible handsome when he smiled. It was so bad that she almost drooled. She blushed and looked down at her plate again, trying to finish her food, but it did not go unnoticed by the two other youkais

"I believe it is a good quality to have many interests in any kind of knowledge. I agree that the more you know the better. It could become important information someday" Tashio said. Kagome nodded in agreement. The rest of the diner was in silence. When they had finished, Kagome went back to her room. Bitted goodnight by her Lords and Lady. Her body wanted to sleep. It had been a long day… A long emotional day… Kagome got into her night garments, and was then left alone. She sat at the fireplace. She couldn't sleep. Her thoughts wouldn't leave her mind. She needed air. She went over and put a kimono around her before going out. She went back to the fire range, and looked after a garden. It did not take her long. She saw a small pond and sat by it. When she had trained with her powers and bows and arrows, when she went on her 'walks' she had discovered something. She had been able to manipulate water, when she had been furious at Inu-Yasha being with Kikiyo, again. Then she had stumbled upon a river. She was so angry, and when she saw how the water reacted to her anger to tried to fuel it with even more anger. It rose like a tsunami, and went back in a big splash when she got surprised by a sound, which had only been a bird flying out of a tree. It had been hard, but she had discovered she could do small things with each element. When she had asked Kaede about it, she had explained that she was the first miko to have control of the 5 elements. Earth, Air, Water, Fire and the Shikons energy. But she was far from being able to do damage or protect with it. It was only small things. She held her hand over the pond and saw water forming as a snake around her arm, and then back from her arm and curled up in the air, forming itself in different shapes

"It seems you have more power than first believed" the water broke and went back to the pond. She turned surprised and saw Sesshoumaru. She bowed

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you startled me" She looked up at him

"Yes, I do poses more power, but it is hard for me to control, and when distracted it disappears" she explained. She was furious with herself. Not even her friends knew she could do that, and then HE had to find out

"What is this power?" She looked at him. He seemed displeased that she had kept it from him

"It seems that I posses the ability to control the elements, even though it is not as simple as it might sound. It is difficult and hard on the concentration and body when used. If I over use it I will get drained quickly, and my body can take damage, but that is only because I am so inexperienced and untrained" Kagome answered truthfully. Midoriko had come to her in a dream the night she had discovered her power with the water, and told her that she was the chosen selected Shikon priestess, and she needed powers to protect it. That meant she could control the 4 elements, but no one knew that! As if she wasn't 'strange' enough. Kagome bowed deeply

"I really do apologies for not telling you. But I am not one to brag about my powers, since I have never asked for them, and I do not believe that I am that strong… yet, anyway" Kagome said it a bit bitterly. She had never asked for this. But because of it, she had met Inu-Yasha, Shippou, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Koga… Sesshoumaru… All of her friends in the feudal era, and now this. She couldn't help but feel grateful, thus the bitter part.

"I understand your reasons, and if you wish, I would be honored to teach you control and concentration" Kagome looked up at him surprised. She hadn't seen that coming, but come to think about it, this Sesshoumaru was… unpredictable. Kagome smiled at him

"It would be an honor. I accept" She saw him smile back and gestured for her to sit again, while he sat next to her

"Would you show it to me?" He asked curiously. Kagome smiled and nodded, holding her hand just above the water surface. She closed her eyes. She wanted him to see something extraordinary and beautiful. She concentrated and felt the cooling, watery feeling flow through her. She lifted her hand and opened her eyes. She lifted her other hand into same hight as the other and started to make them flow through the air, making it seem like a dance. She saw the water rise in tact with her. She got up, and started to dance; feeling the watery cool feeling wash through her. She felt like flowing and the water, formed like a woman off water, followed Kagome's movements, till Kagome stopped and changed the movements of her arms and a small dragon of water flew over the water surface before diving into the water. Kagome sighed. She had used a bit more than intended. She felt arms holding her steady

"I am okay; I just… had a bit too much fun with it… This was definitely a first. I have never done anything like that before" it had amazed her, to see and feel how she had followed her instinct and danced, and the element had followed her movements. She was proud of herself, and it had been Sesshoumaru that had made it work somehow.

"It was beautiful… You were beautiful…" Kagome froze, and looked up to see Sesshoumaru blush lightly. Kagome then smiled. She almost laughed. This day couldn't be more unbelievable. The Greatest Taiyoukai of them all in the Feudal Era, blushed and called her, a human, beautiful. Kagome took a step backwards and bowed

"It is late, and I will return to my room. Good night Lord Sesshoumaru" then she turned to go back inside

"Goodnight Kagome"

* * *

><p>"Lady Kagome?" Kagome grunted. She was so tired! She was still exhausted from her little show last night<p>

"Five more minutes" she whimpered. She felt a hand pushing her gently

_'Geez! Why can't I ever have my 5 freaking minutes in any era!?'_ Kagome opened her eyes and turned her head, and looked tired at the servant

"It is almost time for breakfast Lady Kagome" Kagome took her wristwatch and looked. 7?! She could have slept at least an hour more! She grunted again and got up. Leaving the servant to do what she wanted. She was too sleepy. With the servant done, she followed her to the dining hall in a daze. She went inside to see them all sitting as the night before. She went to sit at the same spot from the evening before. She bowed to them before seating

"Good morning" she said low, tired. They answered with the same reply. The food came in, and they began eating

"Did you sleep well Lady Kagome?" Her Lady asked. Kagome smiled tired

"Yes, the bed is amazing, but I must admit, I am not a morning person" she answered with a big tired smile. Her Lady smiled back

"You do not look like you had any sleep" she commented. Great! They sure is a nosy bunch

"I trained with my powers before I went to bed, and I must have exhausted myself in the process. And I find it difficult to sleep on the first night, in a new place" Kagome answered, still with a smile on her face

"Yes, it appears our miko can control the elements. She has a hard time using them, so I have offered my help" Sesshoumaru said. Kagome send him a glare. She would have wanted to talk to Tashio about it in his study the same day, since Sesshoumaru had discovered it, but he had just taken her chance, but she wouldn't let him undermine her

"I do apologize Milord and Milady, for not telling you at once. It has been a secret for a while, and I am still very inexperienced on the matter. I was going to tell you today at your study, but Lord Sesshoumaru has been so kind to tell you instead" Kagome said with a bitter tone. She couldn't help it. What Sesshoumaru had just done had pissed her of. Not that she hadn't expected that he would tell, but not like this. She saw Tashio's surprised face, and then Kagome got surprised when he sent Sesshoumaru a glare, before turning to her smiling

"It is okay Lady Kagome. You have already told me so much about yourself that I do not blame you for not telling. But I thrilled to hear you will get help, and I must admit I am curious to see this power" Kagome smiled. Tashio was being so understanding and kind, that she almost beamed with happiness. ALMOST. He was kind of like the father she had missed after her real father died. Even though she lacked energy, she wanted to show him. She took a deep breath and let it slowly out, she concentrated on the tea in her cup. She raised her hand over the cup and the tea flowed in the air before them. She shaped it like a crescent moon before letting it back into her cup. She sighed tiredly and looked up smiling. Tashio and her Lady looked amazed and Sesshoumaru smiled.

"It was most impressive" her Lady said, smiling big and like a child who just saw her first magic trick.

"It was nothing to the show she put on last night at the pond" Sesshoumaru exclaimed. Kagome blushed.

"Oh? Is that so?" She saw the smirk on Tashio's lips. Sesshoumaru nodded

"She formed a full-grown woman of water and then a small water dragon. It was really impressive" Kagome blushed even more because of Sesshoumaru's praise _'Seriously, what is up with him? Why does he make me blushing and act like a little school girl and in the next makes me mad to only confuse me again… ACK!'_

"It sounds like you are more experienced than you think Lady Kagome" her Lady stated. Kagome shook her head.

"The element that comes easiest to me is water, and what I did last night was a first, and that is also why I am so exhausted. I get easily exhausted, but it is a bit better now, and it will get better when I learn control and concentration. I can hardly use the other elements, so that is why I only practice on water for now. Taking one step at the time" Kagome answered, yawned tired

"And that is a wise choice. Now, why don't you go and bath, and try to fresh up a little" her Lady said, smiling gently. Kagome nodded grateful, stood to her feet and walked out.

* * *

><p>After the bath, Kagome got dressed, but let her hair stay down this time. She went back to the pond. It was peaceful and beautiful. She looked at the pond and on all the koi fish<p>

"Now, what have we here?" a female voice said. Kagome turned her head to see a youkai standing not far from her, watching. Kagome got to her feet

"I am sorry; I don't believe I have met you Lady…?" The youkai looked at her with disgust

"I am Lady Sura, and I am the princess of the Eastern Lands, and the future Lady of the Western Lands" she answered with her head held high. Kagome was not one to judge others, especially when they had only just met, but looking at Lady Sura, one word came to mind

_'Snob' _

"It is an honor to meet you Lady Sura of the East. I am Kagome. The village miko" Kagome said bowing, and as politely she could. Just because she did not like her, that did not mean she couldn't behave herself.

"I do not care to who you are, but to what a human miko does in the Lords gardens" she said spitefully. Kagome held her mask, even though it was hard. She was a snobbish Feudal Era Sesshoumaru, which meant she was dangerous, ergo; politeness was a key factor, no matter what

"I am a temporarily guest" Kagome answered politely. Lady Sura frowned

"And why would the village miko be an honoured guest?" She asked in disbelief. Kagome was furring with annoyance on the inside

"I received an order to stay until they order otherwise" Lady Sura nodded

"They should just have left you at the village, and let them take care of you" Kagome smirked

"And that was exactly what I said, but they insisted" Kagome said with her own head held high, She did not want to take anything from this bitch anymore. She saw Lady Sura's glare

"Do not believe that you filthy human are of any worth! You will soon be out" she hissed. This time Kagome couldn't help herself. This _Lady_ needed a lesson in manners

"Do not think that a snob of a youkai like you, know anything of my worth" she said emotionless, still with her mask on. She wanted to seem calm. But she wasn't.

"You little…" before Kagome got to register anything else she felt a pain across her stomach. She looked to find a thin but long wound, blood and a purple liquid fusing in the wound. She looked up to see a purple poisons whip like Sesshoumaru's green one. Kagome couldn't help what happened next. She went into defensive, like instinct. Her eyes glowed strong pink and she raised her hands over her head and then pushed them forward. The water behind her rose with her movements, and a sphere of water collapsed into Lady Sura, sending her away from Kagome, and let it go when she could hold it no longer. She collapsed to the ground. The wound hurt like hell, and she could feel the poison working its way through her body. She gasped for air, afraid. She then heard footsteps coming closer and hands holding her. She looked up to find Sesshoumaru and Tashio in front of her

"What happened Kagome?" Tashio asked, kneeling next to her. She barely noticed that she was on Sesshoumaru's lap

"A visit from Lady Sura, Lord Sesshoumaru's intended… She attacked me" she whispered troubled "I hope I didn't hurt her too much" Kagome mumbled with difficulty. She had a hard time staying awake

"Do not think about her" Tashio said. She felt Sesshoumaru holding her tighter

"Poison" Sesshoumaru said. Tashio nodded

"The only thing I know works against it, is our family poison, but that will kill her" Tashio said, clearly frustrated with the situation. But what Tashio said made Kagome think back on one of her first encounters with Sesshoumaru. She had mysteriously survived Sesshoumaru's poison back at Tashio's graveyard. She had no other choice. She looked Tashio in his eyes

"Do you trust my knowledge?" she asked with difficulty, but with a serious face. Tashio nodded confused

"Do what you must do with your poison" Tashio and Sesshoumaru were about to protest, but Kagome stopped them

"I know what I am doing. Trust me" she whispered and coughed, which made her gasp for air. She saw the two Inus look at each other for a while before they both nodded. Tashio led his claws to her wound a stuck them in, making Kagome gasp in pain. She fainted when the pain of the poison became too much.

* * *

><p>Kagome woke up feeling… Fresh for a change. She opened her eyes and sat up. She was in her room and she was alone. She looked down to look at the wound on her stomach. To her surprise, it was gone. Not even a scar. Kagome got up and put a blue kimono on. It only made her eyes seem bluer. Kagome smiled at herself in the mirror. It was a beautiful kimono. She went over to look at her wristwatch. It was 12 pm, so the breakfast was over with long ago. What should she do? She decided to take up on Tashio's offer with the books and went out of her room, with the direction towards the study. When she reached it, she gently knocked on the door<p>

"Enter" she heard Tashio reply, and she entered

"Ah Lady Kagome you are awake" she saw the relief in Tashio written all over his face.

'_Funny how bonded you can get over such a short period of time'_ Kagome bowed

"I am, thank you for saving my life Milord" Tashio sighed and gestured for her to sit. She sat at the chair to the left.

"I am at fault that you got hurt. I should have warned you of Lady Sura" He had a regretful look on his face. Kagome couldn't stand to see him of all people in such a state. Kagome waved her hand from side to side

"I am willing to forget the incident if she is, and I shouldn't have provoked her, even though she did insult me" Tashio narrowed his eyes

"She is a Lady and should have acted as such, it was her that overstepped her boundaries, in a home that is not hers and never will be" Tashio said irritated. Kagome looked at him confused

"But she said…""She said she was Sesshoumaru's intended. She says that to everybody who is a female, but that is just her wishful thinking" Tashio interrupted. Kagome smiled and nodded, but it vanished when she saw Tashio's eyes piercing on her

"Now, would you care to explain how you are not dead with all that poison injected in you?" Kagome had seen it coming, and had no problem telling Tashio the truth. Sesshoumaru, was another matter she would have to discuss with Tashio before leaving

"I cannot really explain it myself. I only know that in one of the first times I met Sesshoumaru he tried to kill me with a large dose of his poison, but I was somehow immune to it. I got up right after the attack. It hadn't affected me at all" she answered. She saw Tashio's surprised face

"It is unheard of" he exclaimed before laughing

"But we have already established that you are a very special miko" he said smirking at her; he had a glint in his eye. A glint she had seen so many times in others, especially Shippou. It was the glint of plot. She narrowed her eyes at him

"What are you plotting Tashio?" she asked him flatly. She didn't like people toying with her life. Time was already doing that. Tashio chuckled

"And what makes you belief I am plotting something?" he asked teasingly

"I know that glint in your eyes when I see it, my adopted son always had that glint when he…" she stopped when she realized what she was saying. Shippou. She missed her son. She looked away, feeling tears on their way.

"I am sorry about your situation" Tashio said gently

"Me to. I know he is in good hands, but I worry for him" Kagome said with a sad smile

"Which is understandable for a mother" he said smiling sadly back at her

"You would have liked him. He is a kitsune youkai" she saw his surprised look

"You have adopted an orphan youkai?" he asked amazed. Kagome nodded

"I met him on my travel, and took him under my wing" Tashio smiled and looked at her in a long time, before he shook his head

"You just keep on with one surprise after another. Your two first days here were… filled with surprises, and when I think you have nothing more to surprise me with, you just surprise me again" he laughed and Kagome joined him

"Then how do you think I feel? The Sesshoumaru in this time is the complete opposite to the one I know, and he also keeps surprising and shock me" they laughed again. Kagome stopped when she realized what he had said

"What do you mean with 'the two first days'? How long have I been out?" she asked curiously

"You have been on conscience for 3 days" Kagome nodded

"My wound has healed surprisingly quick then" she said more to herself, but Tashio heard it

"It is completely healed?" Kagome nodded

"Yes, not even a scar" she replied. Surprise was clear in his eyes yet again

_'Great! Why not just stamp me as freak of the year?'_ Kagome decided to change subject, into the reason she was there

"I hoped that I could take you up on that offer" Tashio's eyebrow went up

"Offer?" Kagome nodded "The offer where I could lent some books?" she asked trying, no longer sure she had heard him right

"Oh yes. Of course Kagome. Just take a look around, and pick whatever you like" Kagome smiled and quickly got up from her chair and ran over to one of the bookcases and started looking at the titles. She had been looking for about 30 minutes when she finally found two books that caught her attention. 'Youkai myth and legends' and 'Sakura' a book filled with poems

"I will leave you to your work. Thank you again Tashio" she said bowing

"My pleasure. It is nice to see my books be used again. Enjoy" Kagome smiled and went out. She went back to what she had declared her favorite spot. Her spot at the pond.

Kagome sat in front of the pond with the poetry book in her hands. She stopped when she saw a title of one of the poems '_Path of time_' she looked at the page more closely.

_In time she will find her path_

_In time she will see her fate_

_In time she shall live_

_And unaffected by time she shall become_

_In time she will find her destiny_

_In time she will find love_

_In time she shall prevail_

_And travel through time she will only once more_

Kagome looked at the page in disbelief _'It can't be… about me?'_ she looked at the bottom to see the author's name. I.N.M. It was all it said. She skimmed every page to see if she could find more of his or her work, and she found only one more

_Her Destiny: _

_Her path is affected by time_

_Her fate is affected times three_

_Her destiny affected the First and the Last_

_Her powers will show itself, when ready_

_Her path is filled with blood_

_Her fate is filled with tears_

_Her Destiny is filled with love_

_Her powers can safe them all_

_And make them all complete_

She couldn't believe it. But the coincidences were too great. She would have to talk to Tashio about the mysterious I.N.M. She closed the book

"I see you are awake" Kagome paled at bit

_'Fuck! I forgot to talk with Tashio about what to say to Sesshoumaru'_ Kagome smiled the best she could

"Yes indeed I am" Sesshoumaru smiled back, sitting next to her.

"You are quite strong for a human" Kagome frowned. She hated when he said 'human'. It always took her back to reality when it came to who Sesshoumaru would become. Kagome looked out in the distance

"Thank you" she simply answered. She didn't know what else to say.

"Have I offended you?" Kagome sighed. It was frustrating to have youkai's nearby who could read her emotions or sniff them out.

"No, even though I do not care much for terms like humans, youkai's or hanyou's. I want to see the person. I do not care _what_ they are, but if I like them, I like them, and no one can tell me otherwise" Kagome stated

"Then I will try to restrain the use of the word" he offered with a small smile. Kagome smiled back and giggled

"Much appreciated"

_'Even though I know it won't last'_ she added mentally

"So how is your so-called mate-to-be?" Kagome asked teasingly. Sesshoumaru laughed. Kagome smiled. It sounded so beautiful when he laughed

"She left when she healed. Which took her two days" He answered with a smirk. Kagome sunk her shoulders in shame. She hadn't wanted to hurt her that much

"Gomen" she said. A hand-held her cheek, turning it towards Sesshoumaru

"You have nothing to apologize for Kagome. You acted in self-defense. A servant watched the scenario, and reported it to us when we got you back to your room" Kagome looked him in the eyes.

'_You could drown in those eyes!'_ but she was... confused with the emotions in his eyes. It shifted all the time so she couldn't really tell. She felt him stroke her cheek with his hand

_'What is he doing?'_ Kagome looked at him confused. Hoping to get an answer without having to ask

"I do not understand what you are doing to me" he whispered. Kagome looked just even more confused

"I… sorry? I don't understand…" his pointy finger rested on her lips to make her silent

"You make me feel things I never have felt before Kagome" Kagome paled. This could just not happen! She had to get out of this situation. But she didn't know what to say. Again he had let her speechless. She saw him smile weakly

"I understand if you do not feel the same way about me" She looked at him in disbelief

"But I am human? A miko if you haven't already noticed that" Kagome mumbled, still swirling in disbelief.

"It does not matter" _'It does not matter?! Since when?'_ Kagome looked up at him again with a sad expression

"I am sorry but.." before she got to finish what she was about to say, Sesshoumaru was on his feet

"I understand. As you have already said you do not know me. But I will change that" he said with a small smile before vanishing in a flash. Kagome just looked at the space where Sesshoumaru had just stood. Kagome shook her heard

_'This is not good. This was not supposed to happen!'_.


	4. A possible new enemy

Chapter 4 –

It had been a week since that day at the pond. For the entire week Sesshoumaru had acted polite and respectful, and helped her with control and concentration. She had a fun time doing that. But it was also becoming distressing. Every time they were together she felt how she was fallen deeper for him every day, every second. He was funny, kind, intelligent, strong, handsome… but when she at night went to sleep, dreams of the future Sesshoumaru disturbed her sleep and made her stress even more.

Kagome knocked on Tashio's study door. She had wanted to discuss the poems with him, but they had both been busy. No sound came from the study, so she went back to her room so she could try to solve them herself. She sat in front of the fireplace and started with the first one.

_In time she will find her path_

_In time she will see her fate_

_In time she shall live_

_And unaffected by time she shall become_

Would that mean she would become immortal? She kept reading

_In time she will find her destiny_

_In time she will find love_

_In time she shall prevail_

_And travel through time she will only once more_

She did not like the last line. If she got to travel through time only once more, did that mean only one way, or a chance to say goodbye? Kagome sighed frustrated and looked for the other poem.

_Her path is affected by time_

_Her fate is affected times three_

_Her destiny affected the First and the Last_

_Her powers will show itself, when ready_

'_Well, the first line tells of my journey through time… The next that I have been in 3 time eras… but the next line…'_

"Her destiny affected the First and the Last?" It could mean two things. 1. That her travel through time have affected time era 1 (Her time) and time era 3 (The one she was in now) or 2. Because the first letter in both words are big, it can mean persons… but who? The First and the Last… Kagome closed her eyes and let her thoughts run crazy

_'First… Last… Oldest… youngest? Big brother and younger brother?' _Kagome looked up in disbelief

_'Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha. I affected Inu-Yasha with releasing him from the tree, and now I am living with Sesshoumaru…'_ The last part of the first strophe, she would guess had something to do with her awakening power of elements. She moved on to the next. She was glad that she had been in school when they had worked on poems.

_Her path is filled with blood_

_Her fate is filled with tears_

_Her Destiny is filled with love_

_Her powers can safe them all_

_And make them all complete_

The first was no surprise. There had already been spilt blood, as well as tears shed. But love? And her power can save them all and make them all complete? No pressure… Kagome sighed and tossed the book over at the bed.

"Knock knock" it sounded from the door

"Come in" Kagome saw Sesshoumaru enter. She smiled up at him, stood and bowed

"Lord Sesshoumaru. What can I help you with?" Sesshoumaru look at her. He seemed in a bad mood

"My father has asked me to escort you to the village for the day, so you can meet with the people" Kagome looked at him curious, that shouldn't make him in a bad mood

"I would love that Milord. But I would like to ask for some miko garments if that is the case" Sesshoumaru nodded and turned around to leave. Kagome manned up and laid her hand on his shoulder, which made him stop

"Is something the matter Milord?" she asked gently. She knew she was overstepping, but she was getting used to see the calm and positive Sesshoumaru, and this behavior was not like him. He turned around to look at her. She gasped, shocked to see his mask on. He had only the mask on in official matters, but he had never used it on her, in this era anyway. Kagome looked down sad and bowed

"I am sorry. It is not of my concern" she waited for him to say something but he just walked out. Kagome looked in disbelief at the door he had just exited. A couple of moments later a servant came in with miko garments. Kagome quickly put them on and left her room. She walked to the front gates and waited for Sesshoumaru. She waited… and waited… She looked at her wristwatch. She had stood there for an hour. She sighed irritated. Kagome looked back at the palace to look for a last time, before heading down to the village alone. She could handle herself.

* * *

><p>Kagome looked around in the village. It was an ordinary village, just a bit bigger than Kaede's village. They greeted her with big enthusiasm and told her they were happy, to finally get a miko in their village. The village, to her surprise had both youkai and humans living in it. They showed her some sick, which she helped. She spent the rest of the day helping the villages, but feeling disappointed in Sesshoumaru. When done, she left the village and walked up towards the palace. The sun was on its way down. Kagome stopped and sat next to a tree to watch the sundown. She had only looked in a couple of minutes when she heard screams from the village. Kagome got to her feet quick and ran back towards the village. When she got there, multiple demons were attacking. Kagome helped some villagers to safety and was trying to help a man when she got attacked from behind. Kagome gasped in pain. Someone had stabbed her with <em>something<em> in her back!

She turned to see ugly demons gather around her. She had nowhere to hide or run, she could do nothing, being trapped and all. Kagome looked around in panic. She had to save these villagers! There was fire all over the place… Wait… Fire! She had not trained with other than water, but was the concept the same? She would have to try. Kagome looked at the fire, her hands spread out over her head, concentration. She felt a hot, watery flow through her veins. She felt the instinct take over. She started to dance. Her hands swirling and flowing around her, under her and over her. When she started her dance, all the fires in the village collected itself in a circle around the demons and Kagome. Kagome twirled and twirled, and so did the fire. It grew so it looked like a tornado of fire. The demons became consumed by the fire, and Kagome felt herself weaken drastically, but she still had to find the boss of the attack. Kagome's hands flat-out and so did the fire. Swirling around her, the flames touching her, but not burning her. She looked around and saw his red eyes in the tree lines. She couldn't use fire in the forest. Kagome felt a new feeling rise in her, even though the fluid that ran down her eyes, ears and nose was kind of distracting. She looked at her opponent, who hadn't moved at muscle. If she just had her bow and an arrow! The new feeling became stronger, and by instinct Kagome stood in her shooting stance. Before her eyes, her pure energy formed to a bow, with an arrow notched in it. Kagome smirked, aimed and released the arrow, infusing as much power she could into the arrow. Kagome let go, saw it flew through the air… She never did get to see if it hit, since she suddenly fainted of exhaustion.

* * *

><p>Kagome opened her eyes. She was back at her room. She sat up and saw Sesshoumaru sitting on her chair in front of the fireplace.<p>

"Why did you never show up?" Kagome asked with thick disappointment in her voice. She could not come up with an explanation good enough to not even send a servant to explain. Sesshoumaru stood to his feet and went over by her side

"It seems you are capable of fulfilling your task at the village" he just said. Kagome narrowed her eyes

"Why did you never show up?" She asked again persistently. Sesshoumaru send her a glare

"I do not have to tell you what kept me occupied" He snapped. Kagome looked at him surprised. What was going on? She did not like his behavior. Kagome got up to her feet and send him a glare back

"It is not polite to make a Lady wait and give no word of it" Sesshoumaru smirked

"Then it is good I did not let a Lady wait" Kagome looked at him with a mix of surprise and fury

_'How dare he!'_ This was it; she would not take more of his insufferable mood swings, so she slapped him on his cheek, and she clearly saw the surprise.

"Tell your father I have gone to the village. I refuse to live any moment longer under this roof" and with that Kagome went out of the castle and walked down towards the village. Ignoring the pain in her back.

She had only just arrived to the village when she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her. She turned to see Tashio. And he did not seem pleased

"Why are you refusing to live under my roof?" he asked angry. Kagome bowed

"I am sorry, but I cannot take anymore of your son's moods swings towards me. One moment he treats me with respect and the next with disrespect. He is clearly against me being there, so I made it easier for him. I left" She felt Tashio's hand on her shoulder once again

"He has been a little distressed lately, but you should not let it affect you" Kagome snorted

"I do not feel welcomed by him anymore. Something just changed… Over night… And I do not know why, but I feel responsible, and when I try to get him to talk, he won't" Kagome said defeated. Tashio chuckled

"He has problems understanding some things, and it is making him frustrated. If it helps, I can ask him to leave you alone" Kagome looked down at the ground. She then nodded. They walked together back to the palace.

Kagome went out to the shooting range to practice. She was still a little mad, so she needed to blow of some steam. After the fifth arrow, hitting the mark she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Sesshoumaru. She sighed mentally before walking over to him and bowed

"If you need the space I will move, Milord" when he kept silent, she looked up at him to see regret in his eyes… Maybe he had just been frustrated and acted out on her…

"I apologize for my behavior. I shouldn't have slapped you" she said, bowing deeper

"Kagome" he said gently. Kagome looked up

"It is me who should apologize. I should not have let my problems affect you" Kagome smiled a small smile. Sesshoumaru looked regretful. She did not like that, so she did what she always did, when it had been Inu-Yasha. Forgave him. She took a step closer and cupped his cheek with her hand

"I forgive you if you forgive me" he smiled back and nodded. She looked him in his eyes. His magical, golden eyes. They were so mesmerizing. Then she saw Sesshoumaru move closer, and his hand too cupped her cheek. She felt butterflies in her stomach. He moved closer and let his lips gently touch hers before embracing her in a deep passionate kiss. Kagome kissed back. Feeling like she was flowing. She moaned and felt his tongue enter her mouth. Exploring. Then they both pulled back. Kagome's thoughts went crazy

_'We can't do this! Not when I know how he is going to become'_, but she blushed anyway. She had liked it… A lot… Before Sesshoumaru got to say anything, she bowed and hurried back to her room. When she went in, she sat and rested her back up against the door. She had loved that kiss. Loved how he had felt, with his arms around her. Kagome shed a tear. She had fallen big time for the young Lord. But it hurt too much to know what had yet to come, and with a future as uncertain as hers, she could not afford it

_'But the poem said I would find love… Could it be Sesshoumaru?'_ She hoped, but she couldn't see how. Kagome slowly got up and went over to her bed again. She did not know what to do now. The poem had told that something was to happen, and that was why she where there in the first place, and she would have to complete the jewel, and she could only travel through the well once. But to what era? Her time or Inu-Yasha's? Kagome's thoughts stopped to a halt by a knock on the door

"Yes?" she asked. A servant entered with a small package in her hands

"An order was given to deliver this to you Milady" she said leaving the package on the desk before leaving. Kagome got up and looked at it. There was a note on top of the package

'_To the Lady Kagome_

_We are having some guests over in the evening and I have found a kimono for you to wear_

_Your_

_Lady Mayako'_

So, her name was Mayako. She had found it strange not to know her Lady's name, but she did not question it. Kagome lifted the lit and pulled out a stunning midnight blue, silk kimono with golden dots, looking like stars on a beautiful evening night. Kagome smiled and laid it down on the bed. She was about to put the package away when a smaller package found its way down to the floor. Kagome took it up, it too had a note

'_Kagome_

_Beautiful Ladies should own beautiful things_

_Yours truly _

_Sesshoumaru'_

Kagome blushed. Again he had called her beautiful. She gently opened the package and gasped. Inside was a necklace with a beautiful blue gem hanging, from the silver chain. She did not know if she would accept it, but she did not want to seem disrespectful. She went to the mirror and put it on. It shined in contrast to her blue eyes. She smiled, but then blushed again when she remembered what they had just done. She had a hard time suppressing it. She went to the fire-place and began reading some of the books she had borrowed to get her mind of Sesshoumaru.

* * *

><p>Kagome was standing in front of the door to the dining hall. The guests had arrived, so she was the only one left. The servants had used a lot of time preparing her, even though she did not get why they worked so hard on her. She was just, after all, a guest and the village miko. In principle she should have her miko garments on. The door opened and she walked in. She felt everyone's gazes on her, at the same moment she came in. There were 3 guests, and from their aura she could tell they were youkai's, and strong ones. They were all men, seemed young, but far from it. The first had long red hair, green eyes, and a green leaf mark on his head. The next had short yellow hair, purple eyes and a red flame mark on his forehead. The last had long black hair, red eyes and a red sun mark on his forehead. After the knowledge she had gathered over the years, she immediately knew these were the remaining three lords of the remaining three lands. Kagome bowed. Tashio gestured for her to sit next to his mate.<p>

"Milord's, this is Lady Kagome, a priestess who have recently joined us, and she was the one to end Daisuke" Kagome looked at Tashio. Daisuke must have been the youkai who had attacked the village. She saw the Lord's impressive gazes

"Lady Kagome, this is Lord Yuko of the South" he gestured to the red-haired youkai

"And Lord Rai of the North" and then he gestured to the yellow-haired youkai

"And Lord Kyo of the East" and gestured to the black-haired youkai. Kagome bowed

"It is a pleasure to meet you Milord's" She watched how Rai smirked, Yuko smiled friendly, while Kyo seemed disgusted. Her alarm bells went off when she looked at him. Something was off about him. Her instincts told her so, and they had helped her so far, and it wasn't because he was Sura's father. Yuko moved to her side and took her hand

"The pleasure is all mine, Milady" and then he kissed her hand. She felt everyone's gaze on them. She blushed. She looked towards Sesshoumaru who had his mask on, but she thought she saw anger in his eyes. Tashio cleared his throat

"Let's eat" he said, clapping his hands, and the servants came in with the food.

"So, Lady Kagome, how did you kill Daisuke?" Rai asked curious. Kagome smiled

"With a sacred arrow Milord" she answered truthfully. It had been a sacred arrow… made of her pure energy. She had never tried that before, but she hadn't tried to use fire as she had done either.

"Only one?" Kyo asked in disbelief. Kagome smiled to him, even though she was already tired of his attitude problem. He to, seemed like Sesshoumaru from the future

"Yes" Yuko chuckled

"I have heard of the priestess who defeated him, but I heard you also used fire" Kagome gulped, but kept her mask on.

"Not against him, only his minions, and mostly to put out the fires that was raging the village" Yuko nodded

"But how?" he asked.

"She has control of the elements" Tashio answered proudly. Kagome sighed mentally. She did not believe telling them were a good idea. At least not Kyo. Something was rotten about him.

"Oh really? You must show us a demonstration" Kagome giggled of Yuko's enthusiasm. Kagome looked around to see what she could come up with, and then an idea got to her. She rose from her seat and took a bowl of water and put it at the other end of the table. She quickly went out to collect an oil lamp and some dirt before returning. She then placed the bowl of water, the oil lamp and dirt next to each other. She then held her hands over the items and concentrated. She called upon her elements and imagined them like nymphs of each element. She opened her eyes and moved her hands smoothly and flowing like before. She felt the power wash through her like water. First the water reacted and formed into small water nymphs, flying around in the room. Next she felt the fire do the same, and then the same with the earth and air. They flew around the room, earning some giggles, except from Kyo, of course, before she let them back to where they came from. Yuko, Tashio, Sesshoumaru, Rai and Mayako all clapped their hands with big smiles on their faces. Kagome stood up and bowed in gratitude before returning to her seat.

"I must say it is most impressive. What were those creatures?" Rai asked curious. He seemed to have warmed up

"They are nymphs. They are from stories. But they were not real creatures; I only formed and designed them in my mind, controlling their movements" They all looked surprised and impressed with her, even her hosts.

"Are you sure you are human?" Yuko asked teasingly, winking with one of his eyes. Kagome giggled

"Unless your noses say otherwise, I would believe I am" some of them laughed at her statement, and then continued eating. While she ate, she felt Sesshoumaru's gaze on her, but she tried to ignore it. She did not know how to act around him after the kiss they shared. The kiss. Kagome blushed all over again, but fought it back, keeping her mask on, remembering where she where.

"So Tashio, have you given any thoughts to the agreement points in our alliance?" Kyo asked. Kagome looked up to see annoyance in all three Inu's faces

_'What agreement points? It seems it would something they should talk about in private, with the look on everyone else's faces'_ and she could see on the others faces that they thought the same, but Kyo did not seem to care

"We are still discussing on the matter" Tashio said. Kagome just sat back and observed, curiously

"What is there to discuss? A mating between our lands will give a good alliance between our lands, and you know my daughter has shown interest" Kagome paled. That was why Sesshoumaru had been so irritable. He would maybe be mated with that horrible piece of trash of a female youkai to Lady Sura. Kagome suddenly felt sick. She did not want to lose him to her of all people (or youkais) and if he was going to do it, then she was leaving, and that was final. She could not stand being in the village with him so close with his mate. She watched, still pale, on the scene before her

"We know perfectly well of your daughters obsessive feelings for my son. She let her jealousy out on Lady Kagome. She was extremely disrespectful and then dared attack my guest. She does not deserve being the Lady of this house" Tashio stated conclusive. Kagome hid her smile by looking away, but it vanished, when she realized what that could mean. If there could be no alliance, and if she was right on her instinct, Lord Kyo and Lady Sura would become a problem.

"I will give you 2 days to reconsider. If the answer is still the same, then I am declaring war between our lands" and with that he stood and stormed out. Kagome sighed. That was unpleasant and uncalled for

"I apologize for the scene, I suggest we go to the meeting hall" Tashio said standing to his feet, and his mate by his side. They all nodded and stood. Yuko was at her side in a flash

"Would you do me the honor?" he asked, offering his arm. Kagome smiled

"Of course Milord" she said placing her arm around his. She felt Sesshoumaru's gaze on her again. She turned to see him and gave him a big smile. He gave her a small smile back, before Yuko escorted her down to the meeting hall.

Kagome were sitting with Lady Mayako to her side, Lord Yuko to her front, and Sesshoumaru and Lord Rai on each of his side. Tashio was discussing with his adviser in a corner, and she guessed it had something to do with Lord Kyo.

"So, do you really think there will be a war?" Lord Rai asked. Sesshoumaru grunted

"He would lose, he has no big army, just a big mouth" Kagome frowned. She did not think he was as weak as Sesshoumaru made him

"You are not agreeing?" Yuko asked Kagome. Kagome blushed. She hadn't been expected to take part in war discussions. She put on her mask and looked at him

"I have only meet Lord Kyo this one time, but from what I observed in both behavior and aura, he is much more cunning and cowardly than he portrays, and he poses a strong aura, but I felt his ego shining through strongly, and that is big. If his ego gets hurt, then I am positively sure that he would do something rash, like sending an assassin or go on a killing frenzy. He seems just the type" Yuko, Sesshoumaru and Rai all nodded in agreement

"You have good reading skills" Yuko complimented. Kagome shook his head

"Unfortunately no. I have just met a few types like him, both youkai and human, and hanyou" she added, thinking specifically on Naraku

"And… I have met his lovely daughter" Kagome added. They all laughed

"Oh yes, she is so charming do you not think?" Yuko teased. Kagome giggled. She looked at Mayako, when she felt her hand on hers. Her eyes looked at her, as if trying to say something, and she thought she knew of what it was

"Well, I will bid you good night Milord's, Milady. It was truly a pleasure to meet the two of you" Kagome bowed

"The pleasure was ours, right Rai?" Rai nodded smiling, and bowed in the same time as Yuko. Kagome bowed to Sesshoumaru

"Goodnight Lord Sesshoumaru" she smiled to him and took a step closer, got on her toes and whispered into his ear

"Come by my room later. I have to talk to you about something" she took a step back and saw him smile and nod. She then left the room and walked back to her room.

* * *

><p>Kagome sat in her chair in front of her fireplace, in her sleeping kimono, reading a book.<p>

"Knock knock" she heard from the door, she looked up

"Who is it?" "Sesshoumaru" she closed her book

"Come in" Sesshoumaru quickly got in

"You wanted to see me?" He asked. Kagome smiled and got over to him. She stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek and stepped a step back, blushing

"Thank you for the necklace. It is very beautiful" Sesshoumaru took a step toward her and turned her head to face him with his hand gently. She looked into his eyes. She saw lust and something else… but she could not guess what. He leaned down and kissed her. Kagome returned it shortly after she came out of her surprise. She led her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to his body. He gave a little growl before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her with more passion. He licked his tongue over her lower lip, begging for entrance. Kagome slowly opened her lips, and met his tongue, dancing together. They pulled back when they needed air. She rested her head on his chest. She felt him hug her tighter and buried his nose in her hair

"I don't want you to leave" he whispered, but she heard it. She fought her tears. No matter what, she would have to go back one day, and face the Sesshoumaru who despised her. But she found herself not wanting to go back. She wanted to stay here with this Sesshoumaru… But he did not know the truth about her. When she thought about it, there was many good reasons not to start anything with him, and only _one_ reason to start. She loved him. But were that enough? She knew he only meant, her leaving to the village, but she was happy he wanted her here

"I do not want to either" she whispered back truthfully looking up at him. He kissed her one more time before pulling out from her

"I will see you in the morning Kagome" he said smiling big. Kagome couldn't help but smile back at him. He bowed and then left the room. Kagome jumped up in bed and fell asleep with a big smile on her lips, feeling happy for the first time, in a long time.


	5. The path reveal more of itself

Chapter 5 -

It had been a week since the meeting with the Lords and the broken alliance with the East. They had sent the same answer as Lord Kyo had gotten on that day, and surprisingly no reply had come. But the week had been wonderful. She had spent time with Sesshoumaru every day, either discussing book topics, village affairs or weirdly enough, palace gossip. They had kissed, hugged, and walked together… There was love in the air, and Kagome felt blessed.

Kagome was on her way to Tashio's study. She had received a summoning by Tashio earlier, saying it was of important matters. Kagome knocked on the door, and entered when she heard the same old

"Enter" She entered and bowed before sitting on the last free chair. Sesshoumaru was sitting in the other.

"Lord Kyo has attacked two of my villages and a courier has delivered this letter from him this morning" Tashio stated looking serious

"It states that he wants Kagome under his services and Sesshoumaru mated to his daughter, or he will continue ravaging our lands" Kagome looked at him shock

"But why? Why would he have me under his services? Unless that it is his and Sura's way to get me to them so they can kill me?" Kagome asked confused. She felt Sesshoumaru's hands on hers. She looked at him, he was kneeling beside her

"I will not let him have you" Kagome smiled at him. Tashio simply smirked

"And so he will not, but we must think of what to do before he gets to more villages" Tashio stated firm. Sesshoumaru got to his feet

"We will have to send some squats to both sections of the attacked villages" he said. Tashio nodded

"You will go with 2 squads. Kill the intruders and return home quickly" Tashio ordered. Kagome just sat there trying to grasp all the information… If he was like Naraku, he would probably have a plan b if a squat came, unless that was what he was expecting, but she also knew it was not her place to question their leadership or war decisions… So she would follow him… In a distance.

"I will return to you soon" he whispered to her before he left the study. Kagome was still just sitting down, deep in thoughts before getting up

"Something the matter?" Tashio asked. Kagome smirked and walked towards the door

"Just smelling something rotten, that's all" and then she hurried back to her room and changed into an all black kimono and hurried after Sesshoumaru on horse, but with a good enough distance, so she could still glimpse the horde of warriors. She couldn't explain it, but she felt she needed to follow them, that she had to keep an eye on Sesshoumaru.

* * *

><p>The journey took a day before the small army reached the second damaged village. She could see from her spot it was in a bad shape. Suddenly she heard screams and growls and swords clasping together. The enemy had been there all along, so it had been a trap! Kagome concentrated on the air, making a mist around her so she could get close without being noticed.<p>

When she got into the village, she hid behind a damaged wagon. She looked out to see a strange-looking youkai fighting against Sesshoumaru. He had white hair, skin that too seemed white, and with white clothes on. The only color he had, was a red circle under his left eye. She sensed from his aura that he was very strong. Kagome gasped in pain when a sudden headache forced its way through. She closed her eyes and a vision appeared before her. The same mysterious white youkai was fighting Sesshoumaru in the same village as the one they were in, and in one quick flash he was behind Sesshoumaru and had impaled him with 5 small white spears of light. Sesshoumaru then collapsed to the ground dead. Kagome gasped in shock and opened her eyes

_'Her destiny affected the First and the Last. Her Powers can safe them all' _the words from the poem flew into her mind. Kagome gasped in realization. She now knew why she had to save Sesshoumaru! She once again called upon her powers of the air and let the mist disguise her. She went around, slowly and silent, till she stood at Sesshoumaru's side. The only thing they could see was air, so they did not know she was there. And now she only had to wait for the moment, but how could she deflect them?

Then she saw the white youkai do a pose, she had seen at the beginning of the vision, so she went to guard Sesshoumaru's back, where the next attack would be. She would have to do something last-minute, so she wouldn't give her position away. In a flash the white youkai was in front of her, and when she saw the spikes being formed, like watching in slow-motion, she called upon the earth to shield them before impact. She felt the earth move as a wall in front of her, rising, while she summoned her powers of fire. Kagome gasped for air. It was taking a toll on her, but she send all the flames flying towards the white youkai anyway. Then she heard the spikes collide with the earth and heard him scream in pain. What she hadn't thought about was the spikes sharpness. One went through and stabbed her in her stomach. She felt the air that had disguised her disappear and she fell to her knees

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru went to her side, holding her in his arms

"Why are you here?" He asked panicking. Kagome looked up at him with a small smile

"Just following my path" she answered weakly before everything got dark before her eyes.

* * *

><p>'<em>Your destiny in this era, have not yet been fulfilled…'<em> She heard whispered. Kagome sighed, but was also relieved. That meant she could stay with Sesshoumaru for a while longer. Kagome opened her eyes. As expected she was in her room. Kagome gasped in pain when she tried to sit up. She pushed her sheet aside and took a look at her wound. Someone had taken care of her wound, and now it only needed to heal. Kagome laid her head back on her pillow. She had saved Sesshoumaru. She would have been heartbroken if she had failed, but it was strange… When she came to think of it, she would have been in this time before, because Sesshoumaru was alive in Inu-Yasha's era, so in principle she would have, had to have saved Sesshoumaru, ergo he knew who she was when they first met…

_'Which means something I did must have made him hate me enough to want him to kill me later…'_ Kagome shed a tear in realization

_'No…'_ she could be the course to his coldness…Kagome couldn't help it. She started to cry. To know she had done something to make him hate her… It broke her. She had not heard the knock on the door, or that someone had entered before she felt a pair of hands around her

"What is the matter Kagome?" Lady Mayako asked gently. Kagome breathed in deep and let it out slowly to get herself under control

"I am afraid that I might be the reason for Sesshoumaru's coldness in the future" Kagome answered broken. Mayako pulled herself away and looked at her

"And why do you believe such nonsense?" Kagome sighed and looked down at her hands

"I went after Sesshoumaru because my instinct told me so, and I saved him from death. I got a vision showing it to me, but that just made me realize that if I had to save Sesshoumaru in this era, then he knew who I was when I first met him, and at that time he tried to kill me. He hates me in that era, so I must have done something to make him hate me and make his heart so cold" Kagome once again burst into tears. She again felt Mayako's arms around her, comforting her.

"I am so sorry Kagome" Mayako whispered

"Should I tell him the truth of where I am from?" Mayako was silent in a long time

"I believe it is up to you, to decide. But as Sesshoumaru's mother, I would believe it is a wise choice at this point" Kagome nodded. This would be one of the hardest conversations she would ever have had in her life. Kagome once again breathed in deep, and let it slowly out.

"Would you ask Sesshoumaru and Tashio to both come when they have the time?" Mayako nodded

"Of course Kagome" Mayako got to her feet

"By the way. My path is apparently not over yet here, and I fear it has something to do with Lord Kyo. We need to keep our eyes open... Just in case" Kagome said. Mayako smiled and nodded and then left. Kagome sighed and waited impatiently on the two other Inu youkai's.

About an hour later she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in" Sesshoumaru and Tashio entered. Sesshoumaru went to her side with a big smile and kissed her on her forehead. Tashio went to the end of her bed

"You called for us both?" Tashio asked. Kagome's smile vanished and then looked serious at Tashio

"It is time for him to know" Tashio looked at her surprised

"Are you sure?" Kagome nodded. She literally felt Sesshoumaru's confusion

"He needs to know" Tashio nodded and went to his son's side

"There is something you need to know about Kagome my son, and I ask of you to hear her out patiently before doing anything stupid or rash" Sesshoumaru looked suspiciously and confused from Tashio to Kagome. He then sat next to Kagome looking at her, then nodded. Kagome looked up at him. Not really knowing where to start. But then an idea came to mind

"Tashio, on my desk there is a book of poems called 'Sakura', would you please get it for me?" Tashio looked at her confused but went and got it.

"It is very difficult for me to explain, but you told me of your love of poems, and I have found two which, mysteriously enough describes my situation and my real reason for being here. I will explain when I have read them, okay? I just believe it would give you a clearer picture" Both Tashio and Sesshoumaru looked at her confused. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Okay, the first poem is:

'_Her path'_. Kagome started reading it up, slowly so they could hear everything right.

_In time she will find her path_

_In time she will see her fate_

_In time she shall live_

_And unaffected by time she shall become_

_In time she will find her destiny_

_In time she will find love_

_In time she shall prevail_

_And travel through time she will only once _

"And then this one…"

_Her Destiny: _

_Her path is affected by time_

_Her fate is affected times three_

_Her destiny affected the First and the Last_

_Her powers will show itself, when ready_

_Her path is filled with blood_

_Her fate is filled with tears_

_Her Destiny is filled with love_

_Her powers can safe them all_

_And make them all complete_

Kagome stopped reading, and turned to the first page.

"What I am trying to tell you is my purpose of being here in this era. I do not come from this time. I come from a long way into the future. On my 15th birthday I fell down a well on my family's ground, 'The Bone Eaters well', and then I was 500 years back in time. I travel with friends to collect jewel shards, which is my responsibility, and we fight against an evil hanyou who also collects the jewel shards to get his selfish wish. While on my journey, a Bat Taiyoukai attacked me, and she ended up throwing me down the well, and when I woke up I was even further back in time… This era" He looked at her in disbelief

"Like the poem said, 'Her fate is affected times three', my time, the other era and this era. The reason I saved you from that blow, was because I got a vision about it. I saved you on that day because it is apparently my path" This time it was not only Sesshoumaru who looked surprised

"Your path is to safe my son?" Tashio asked pale. Kagome nodded

"Another thing is… The reason why I acted so strange around you in the beginning…" She looked at Sesshoumaru who waited for her to talk

"… I know the future you in the other era. We are kind of like… Allies against this enemy who tries to get the jewel" Sesshoumaru stood to his feet. She could see the hurt in his eyes

"I did not believe you knowing would be a good idea, but now…" Kagome started to cry

"You both lied to me" he said, looking at his father. Tashio got a hard look on his face

"It was for the best, and don't you dare get angry at Kagome. Get mad at me, but she did was she believed was the best thing to do, but has now told you" Sesshoumaru send him a glare

"She is not meant for this time!" he growled. Kagome looked away. She couldn't stand this, she had feared this

"Does that matter? You will see her again in the future! Don't act like a spoiled brat" Tashio hissed.

"How can I know that she is not hiding something else from me?!" She felt his cold gaze on her. Kagome breathed in deep. She had already ruined it, so she could just as well tell him the truth

"I am hiding something else, and Tashio knows this, and he does not know of it either because it would probably change the future, and I can't allow that… Gomen" she said flat, still not looking on either of them. She heard Sesshoumaru growl

"How can you even trust her, if she is hiding things?!" Sesshoumaru hissed

"She has told me enough to know what she is telling me is the truth. And of course she can't tell everything. She could might end up disappearing because of too much change in history, or something else and horrible. You should know better son. Don't let your anger blind you" Kagome then heard the door opened and get slammed. Kagome started to cry again

"I believe you were right in telling him now, giving the situation, but I am sorry for my son's behavior" Kagome looked up at him with tears falling down her cheeks

"I apologize for being the reason his heart gets cold" Tashio sat next to her, looking at her serious

"Do not blame yourself for him not letting go of a grudge" Kagome shook her head

"You do not understand. The secret that I am keeping will cause him much sorrow, which I later on, will be a part of, and I can only imagine his anger when I first met him… Realizing the truth that he knew me, makes me question all the things I have seen him do…" Tashio stopped her, cupping her cheeks in his hands. Kagome felt a conflicting feeling inside of her… Could she tell him? Maybe then he could tell her what to do…

"I want to tell you, but I don't know if it is a good idea" Tashio smiled sadly to her

"Do what your heart tells you" She looked at him, contemplating. No. She wouldn't tell him. It would be too much of a burden to bear on his shoulders. Kagome shook her head

"I can't put that burden on you. I must just live with the fact that he hates me in the future, and it is already starting" she whispered looking down. Tashio hugged her

"It is a shame. I would have loved to have you as my daughter" Kagome broke into tears again. It hurt so much, but there was nothing more for her to do. Kagome opened her eyes. Maybe this was for the best anyway, even though it hurt like hell. Kagome sighed

"Can I be left alone?" Tashio nodded and was about to leave when Kagome stopped him with her hand on his arm. She then took her necklace of and gave it to Tashio

"If he cannot accept me for who I am, then I will not accept anything from him" Tashio nodded sadly and went out. Kagome looked at the poem once again

_'Her path is filled with tears'_ Kagome grunted and threw the book to the other side of the bed irritated. She wanted to go outside, but her wound would definitely not allow it. Kagome was about to take the book on the night stand when she got another painful headache. She closed her eyes and then again she got another vision.

'_She looked around. It was the dining hall. They were all sitting and eating, in silence. Sesshoumaru radiated with anger and Tashio and Mayako with disappointment. Kagome herself weren't present, except for her watching self. _

"_Did the healers say anything in regards to her healing?" Mayako asked Tashio. Tashio shrugged_

"_They did not know what the spike originated from, but it is slowing the healing process" Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru. He looked down with a sad expression on his face_

"_It is my fault. I should have been able to take care of him myself" Kagome sighed… So he felt regretful on some parts… But why was she witnessing this? What was the purpose? Just when she thought it, a servant entered with a tray of mugs with tea in it. She placed them in front of the Inu's before leaving. They all took a sip from the tea. Tashio drank it greedily. Kagome snorted. He was so not charming while dining, just like Inu-Yasha. She then heard Mayako cough, and then Sesshoumaru and Tashio doing the same. They started to cough up blood and tried to get up, then soon, all three collapsed to the ground. Kagome panicked and went over to Sesshoumaru. He was dead! Wait… poison hidden in the tea?!'_

Kagome quickly opened her eyes. She looked at her wristwatch. It was dinner time. Why did she only get the visions just before it happened? That was just bullshit! Kagome got up to her feet, even though it almost made her scream in pain. She went out of her room and as quickly as she could, walked / ran to the dining hall.

She saw the servant exit the room in the same second she turned the corner. Kagome ran with all her might, slammed the door open and concentrated in a flash on the tea and in a smooth move with her hands, the tea flew quickly out of the mugs and onto the wall next to her. She collapsed exhausted to her knees

"Kagome? What are you…" the Inu's then turned to see the wall melt before their eyes

"Poison?" Mayako asked in disbelief. Kagome only tried to concentrate on her breathing. She was pretty sure her wound had reopened. She felt hands around her, and she felt herself being lifted up by a pair of strong arms. She could feel sweat forming on her forehead. She was in deep pain.

In a minute she was back in her room and was laid down on the bed. She felt hands at her stomach. She opened her eyes and saw Sesshoumaru looking at her wound. He must have felt her gaze because his turned to meet it

"How did you know?" he just asked

"Vision" she just answered. He nodded and turned to look at the wound again

"I am sorry" she whispered. He stood up straight and looked at her again

"I am too" Kagome looked at him serious

"It was not your fault" He looked at her with the same sad expression she had seen in the vision. He sat next to her, caressing his hand across her cheek

"So, you are really from the future" Kagome nodded, unsure on what else to do

"And you know me in it?" Again she just nodded

"What am I to you in that era?" Kagome looked away

"An ally" he turned her face back to look at him

"There is something you are not telling me" Kagome looked up at him

"Yes. I cannot tell you, since it can change many things in the future. But you must remember that I did not know you as you are now when I first met you. Promise me that you remember that?" He looked at her confused

"What do you mean?" Kagome sighed

"When I first met you in the future, you apparently knew me, and I did not know that. Not before I found out that I was send here to save you and your family so you all can do the great things all of you are destined to do. So when I return back to the future you, I will remember what we had, were as before I did not" He nodded, understanding her point

"I will remember" he promised. Kagome smiled big at him, even though she knew he would probably forget. There were still many hundreds of years till it happened.

"What now? The poison attempt was surely Lord Kyo's attempt to kill you all" Sesshoumaru nodded

"We will probably make an attack against his palace and kill him, but that would be my father's decision" Kagome nodded

He stood to his feet and was about to leave

"Won't you please stay?" Kagome asked blushing. She wanted all the time with him she could get. He smiled softly and laid down next to her. She placed her head on his chest. His hand nuzzled her hair, and she slowly fell asleep.


	6. Miko elemental youkai

Chapter 6 –

It had taken the wound an entire week to heal. Sesshoumaru had come to see her shortly every day. He had acted weird around her, but that was what she had expected of him. Kagome was sitting at her favorite spot at the pond, enjoying the weather. Lord Kyo had kept ravaging Tashio's villages and they were preparing for an attack at his palace, the next week. She had trained her powers in the meanwhile, since she expected it would be the last challenge for her in this era. Or did she have to stay back if a surprise attack occurred? Kagome sighed. She hated war conspiracies. She had enough with Naraku's games, and now she had to deal with Lord Kyo and Lady Sura. In the past week when she had practiced with her elemental abilities, she had once again accomplished to make a bow and an arrow, but also swords of each element. She had yet to show Sesshoumaru and Tashio, but they kept all their time at the study with their advisers. Kagome yawned bored! It had been a long time since she had last visited the village, so she went inside to put on her miko garments. Instead of the traditional red, she chose a dark blue to wear today. She then headed for the village.

When she arrived, the villagers greeted her with gratitude. They offered her meals, and she gladly accepted, and got to meet the villagers better. She then helped around with the newly sick people. She was helping a feverish boy when she heard screams outside. The father to the boy quickly ran in

"We are getting attacked by Lord Kyo's troops!" Kagome got to her feet

_'Already!?'_

"Get your family and everyone else to Lord Inu no Tashio's palace. He will protect you, while I cover for you" The man was about to protest

"We don't have long. Just do it!" Kagome ordered before leaving the hut. She concentrated and fire appeared in her hands. She blew to the fire, and it flew, growing big and formed a wall in front of the troops, giving the villagers time to escape. She helped a woman up next to her

"Run to the palace, and tell everyone to do the same" The woman nodded grateful and ran. Kagome looked up and saw the troops trying to come through, from the sides. Kagome bent the flames, so the flames surrounded the troops from the sides as well. The only way they could go, was back. She then felt a big wind blow and she saw the fire go out. Kagome formed her bow and arrow from her miko energy. She aimed and shot at the troops who came running at her. The arrow purified 5, but that was long from enough. The troops looked to consist of at least 150 men. Kagome looked around and saw all she needed. This was going to drain her massively, but Tashio and Sesshoumaru hadn't arrived yet. Kagome closed her eyes. Making her bow disappear. She could hear them coming closer to her. She concentrated and asked the elements to help her. She felt the power rush through her as never before. More powerful and fast. She started her dance, with her arms and hand moving dream like. She felt and heard the elements react. But she did not open her eyes. She just continued doing what her instinct told her to do. She moved faster, and she felt the earth under her move, the wind speed up, heat rise and cold water at her feet. She then opened her eyes and pushed her hands forward with all her might. She felt how her body was draining slowly, but she could not let them get through! She was the village miko, and this was her responsibility. The elements clashed into the troops, causing screams of pain and agony. She felt liquid flowing from her eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and she guessed it was blood, but she was not done yet. Kagome collected the last strength she had in her and formed her hands like a ball, making the elements doing the same around the troops, trapping them in a ball of elements. She then smashed her hands together adding her purification power and the ball of elements started to glow pink before exploding. Kagome fell to her knees and saw she had reduced the number greatly, but not entirely. Many were hurt, but a few was still standing. She had no more energy to fight them off. They ran towards her with their swords held high and ready to attack her. In a flash, she watched the two of the closest to her, being cut in two. Kagome looked to see Sesshoumaru and Tashio with their swords in their hands in front of her

"About time" Kagome said tired. They looked at her with smirks until they saw her face. She could believe she looked awful with blood flowing down her face. They were so busy looking at her, that they did not see the next flow of troops coming towards them

"Would you wake up, and take care of things for a minute?!" She yelled frustrated. They woke up from their state and turned to take care of the rest of the troops. Kagome gently sat down, fighting to stay awake. She felt odd. When she had used all 5 elements in one time she had felt a burn on her forehead and in her eyes. Then her entire body had felt like in flames, till it quickly vanished again. It had been odd, but she only thought of it as a side effect. She watched the two Inu's fight. It was an impressive sight. And what was odd, was she could actually see their movements in high-speed, just like that creepy white youkai, but she could see it more clearly now. Sesshoumaru look so graceful and almost like he danced with his sword. Tashio looked brutal. Laughing while swinging his sword left and right. He apparently had a good time. Not long after, they had killed the rest of them off. They were at her side in a flash

"Took you long enough" she teased. Sesshoumaru knelt beside her and his hand went up to her face. He looked at something on her forehead

"What is so interesting?" Kagome asked curious. Tashio looked at her confused

"You don't know?" Now it was Kagome's turn to look confused. She looked at Sesshoumaru who was studying her

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sesshoumaru then looked her in the eyes, slightly smiling

"You need a mirror. Come let us go back" Kagome nodded confused, and Sesshoumaru then lifted her up in his arms. They then left to go back to the palace.

* * *

><p>Kagome looked in the mirror in disbelief. Her hair had become longer, it reached her lower back. She had become a bit taller to! She had more curves than before and her skin seemed paler, but in a good-looking magical way. But her face! She seemed more… Mature… Her eyes seemed bluer? But it was the mark on her forehead that was getting her interest. In the middle was a pink circle. Around it were a green, red, blue and a white circle<p>

_'Her powers will show itself, when ready' 'And unaffected by time she shall become'_

"No way" she whispered. She turned to look at Sesshoumaru

"What do I smell like? Youkai or Human?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru sniffed. His surprised look told her the answer. She turned to look at the mirror again

"'Her powers will show itself, when ready', it have made me into a miko elemental youkai" She whispered in awe. She had become immortal. She would live to see her friends and family again, and that would mean, her last trip through time would be back to Inu-Yasha's era. And then she would have to wait 500 years to see her family. Well, at least she would see them again

"I can't believe it" Kagome whispered. She saw Sesshoumaru step closer to her in the mirror

"I can hardly believe it myself" He whispered and nuzzled his nose into her hair

"But what does this mean to the future? You would remember me as a youkai, and see me again as a human… This is all too confusing!" Kagome said frustrating

"I am sure nothing has changed. As you said, this was meant to happen" Kagome nodded. He was right, but it still confused her, to why then Sesshoumaru would get so cold and angry. Because of his parents death? His loss of Tetsaiga? The loss of her for centuries? Her travelling with Inu-Yasha? A mix of it all? She could understand it, and she would make sure to let him know that in the future. That she does not blame him for his anger, grief and loneliness. She smiled to Sesshoumaru

"I love you" he looked at her surprised before smiling big and kissed her on the neck

"And I love you Kagome" he then pulled back and she felt a chain around her neck. She saw in the mirror it was the necklace she had given back

"Will you reaccept my present?" He asked gently, letting his fingers stroke her neck gently. She smiled to him in the mirror

"Yes" Sesshoumaru close the necklace lock and turned Kagome around so they stood face to face. He then lowered his face and met her lips in a deep kiss of love. But he pulled back a little too soon for Kagome. He smiled at her

"You should get some sleep. You look exhausted" Kagome smiled devious to him

"Only if you will hold me till I fall asleep" He smiled at her and nodded. He got over to the bed and lay down. She joined him and rested her head on his chest once again

"This is comfy" she whispered. Sesshoumaru chuckled. Kagome closed her eyes and let sleep take over.

* * *

><p>Kagome woke up. She looked at her wristwatch. It was 4 at the afternoon! She must really have needed the sleep. She got up and stretched. Her new body felt amazing. She wanted to try it out, and see what else she could do, so she hurried into some battle clothes and went to the dojo. When she went in, no one where there<p>

_'Perfect!'_. For the next 2 hours Kagome worked out and in the next 2 she trained on her powers, both elemental and miko. She felt the restrain had lessened greatly to Kagome's great surprise. When she felt she had trained enough for the day she went off to take a bath.

Kagome had sat down to read on her bed when a servant stormed in

"The Lords are having a crisis meeting and they request your presence" Kagome got up

_'Why ask me do to join them?'_ Kagome followed confused, the servant to the study. She went in and found Sesshoumaru, Tashio, Yuko and Rai in the room

"You asked for my presence Milords?" Kagome asked bowing

"Yes, we want to hear your opinion in this" Tashio said. Kagome raised her eyebrow confused and curious. Tashio gestured for her to sit. Yuko rose from his seat, so she could sit. Kagome smiled in gratitude and sat down.

"Lord Kyo has invited all the Lords and Ladies to a ball, for a last attempt on an alliance. But he insists that you come as well" Kagome got a suspicious look in her eyes

_'It is trap. So this might be my last challenge"_

"We are all opposed to the idea, but it is your choice" Tashio continued. Kagome was in deep thought

_'What is Kyo planning? Hmm…_' She could come up with multiple possibilities. 1: Assassinate one of the Inu's and make it seem like an accident, and someone innocent would get the blame. 2: They found leverage, and demands them into coöperation, which is a possibility to why she had to attend. 3: While they are at the ball, troops can attack the village and the palace. But if it were her last challenge, then the victim would be either Tashio or Sesshoumaru…

"So…?" Tashio asked, patiently. Kagome looked up, brought back from her lines of thoughts

"I'm sorry, I was thinking of the thousands of possibilities he would try to pull off in this trap" She felt their surprised gazes on her

"How can you know this is a trap?" Rai asked. Kagome smirked

"In my experience of bad guys and their obsession in games and mind tricks, I can tell you that it is a trap. Lord Kyo's ego was greatly wounded by Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord Tashio and I, and that they ask for my presence, makes it even more obvious it is a trap. They can try in take me, and use me as blackmail, or they will attempt an assassination on either Lord Sesshoumaru or Lord Tashio late into the ball, and make it look like another did it or that it was an accident" They all looked thoughtful

"She has a point" Yuko said smirking. The others nodded in agreement

"But, I will attend" Now they looked shocked at her

"But why? If it is a trap?" Yuko asked dumbstruck. Kagome smirked

"I am here for a reason. So far everything that have been a reason for me being here, have all been plotted and planned by Lord Kyo" they all looked questioning on her

"But, we need also to make preparations. Because you seem to support Lord Tashio, you all need to make sure you have extra guards and preparations in order, if he would attack your villages near your palaces and your palace. A man with a grudge and a hurt ego is a dangerous man, and will crush his enemy with whatever means necessary" They nodded

"You have a fine war adviser at your side Lord Tashio" Rai said complementary. Tashio and Sesshoumaru chuckled. Kagome blushed

"Just experience and I have read up on a few wars, and we should not make their mistakes" Kagome added, still blushing

"You seem to have a lot of battle experience for such a young human" Yuko said, a bit flirting. Kagome laughed

"Well first I can tell you yes I have, I have travelled 5 years battling youkai, humans and a great enemy that is worse than Lord Kyo, even though he is only hanyou, who to loves mind games and uses cowardly and dangerously methods, but if you take a sniff you will realize a bit have happened since we last met. And this is not a tattoo" Kagome brushed her banks from her forehead away. Rai and Yuko looked at her stunned before both sniffing in and both paling

"How is this possible?" Kagome laughed. They already knew so much, and they were friends and allies, so they deserved to know

"I am a priestess, chosen to protect a jewel called the Shikon no Tama, but that is way into the future. I, myself am from the future. And it is my path, fate and destiny to protect the jewel forever. I came back here to save Lord Sesshoumaru from Lord Kyo apparently, and I guess it is because he is going to help me kill my enemy, the hanyou" Kagome laughed when they looked at her in disbelief

"Tell them Milord" she said to Tashio. He chuckled

"It is true. Lady Kagome is the first miko elemental youkai, and she is from the future. Time has sent us a blessing in these trouble times, and it is a sign that Lord Kyo's reign must end, and a new must start" Tashio said with a smirk and a determined look in his eye. Yuko and Rai got in front of Kagome and bowed deep

"You are truly and impressive being Lady Kagome. Lord Tashio and Lord Sesshoumaru had just told of how you, yourself took out over half of Lord Kyo's troops…" Yuko started

"… and now you come to us in a more impressive manner. When your journey in this era is over, and if we still exist in the other time we would be honored to have you staying… " Rai continued. Yuko pushed Rai to the side

"…You are the most impressive, beautiful and the most extraordinary woman I have ever met. I insist that you come and seek me out when you return… if I am still alive…" Kagome laughed. She felt Sesshoumaru's angered glance, and she laughed because of the two youkai Lord's flirtation and their fight on who can charm her most. She smiled at them.

"I know for a fact, from my demon slayer friend that you're a still alive in her time" They looked surprised at her, every one of them did.

"You are friends with a demon slayer?" Kagome again laughed

"Yes, she is my best friend. But she also knows that it is not every youkai who is bad… She travels with me, and a monk, a kitsune pup I have adopted, a neko youkai and a hanyou" Kagome explained. They all looked curious, absorbing her every word. Kagome smiled. She couldn't tell the harm in telling about her friends

"Sango, the demon slayer is a very strong woman, who lost her demon slayer village and family to the enemy we are fighting, her best friend is a little neko youkai, who can transform into a big fire cat and fly. Miroku is a perverted monk, but even with his perveted tendencies, he is wise and caring for others. He was cursed, because of the same enemy, with a hull in his right hand that sucks everything in. If the enemy doesn't get killed soon, then he will get sucked into his curse, and if he has a child, that child will have the same curse just as his father, and his father before him, until the enemy is dead" Kagome took a deep breath, smiling at the memory of her friends. She missed them so much

"Shippou is my adopted son. He is a kitsune pup. I found him on my travels when his father died, and I took him in. The last one is a hanyou. His life has been hard, not accepted any place. But he found love in a priestess named Kikiyo. She protected the Shikon no Tama at the time, and he wanted the jewel to become a full fleshed demon, but they fell in love. Soon after the enemy I told you of, tricked them and wounded Kikiyo and in the process, pretended in being the hanyou. The hanyou then got sealed to a tree for 50 years, and Kikiyo died and was then cremated with the jewel. 500 years later I was born, as Kikiyo's reincarnation and with the jewel in my body. On my 15th birthday I fell down into a well, and when I got up I was 500 years back in time. Then I found the hanyou, released him, the jewel kind of broke, and then we started to travel to collect the pieces, and that was how I met my friends. I have met many youkai, hanyou and humans in my travel and befriended and vanquished many" They all looked at her amazed. Some parts of the story, not even Sesshoumaru or Tashio had heard. But it had felt good to tell the story of her journey.

"This enemy of yours sounds…" Yuko started

"… Like an extreme cowardly bastard" Rai finished. Kagome giggled. She thought it cute how they talked like twins, finishing each other's sentences. They were very close friends

"If you need our help in the future you just send word for us" Yuko said, Rai nodding in agreement. Kagome smiled

"Thank you that is really nice of you, but shouldn't we talk of more pressing matters?" Kagome asked with a big smile. Tashio chuckled

"Yes, indeed we should. Well, Lady Kagome is attending, and we should make our preparations for departure" Tashio announced. They all nodded in agreement. Lord Yuko and Lord Rai bowed and went out followed by Tashio. Kagome looked out in the distance

_'Sango, Miroku, Shippou… Inu-Yasha… I wonder what they are all doing. If they are all okay…'_ She felt hands on her shoulders. She looked up to see Sesshoumaru

"You miss them" Kagome nodded

"Yes, of course. Most of all Shippou. They did not know what happened to me, so they must think I am dead or something, and that is hard, but I know I will come back to them, but that is hard to" she looked up at him with a sad smile

"I don't want to leave any of you behind" she whispered and went up and hugged him. He hugged her tightly

"You will see us again on the other side" he whispered back. Kagome tried to fight of her tears. Mayako and Tashio would not be on the other side, but she could not tell him that. She nodded sadly, not trusting her voice.

"When is the ball?" Kagome asked when she could finally speak

"In 3 days" 3 days! That was short notice… She had to find something, a plan a, and b and a plan c, just in case everything went against them. Sesshoumaru gave her a last squeeze before letting go

"I have to go" he said gently. Kagome nodded. She had plans on her own. When Sesshoumaru had left, she started to look for books that might be able to help her. 2 hours later she found an interesting section 'Elemental abilities', 'Magical Protection' and 'Battle strategies' she took all 3 books and went to her room. She sad on her bed taking 'Elemental abilities' first, and looked through it. She came across an interesting spell used by water. She memorized it, just in case. It could come in handy someday. She kept on looking, and found only few things she could learn to be better prepared. She then looked at the book with magical protection. She scanned page after page after page, till she found a page she could use. She took her necklace of and did as the instructions said. It shined for a minute before turning back to normal. Then she went to the closet. She looked, and found a beautiful red scarf. She did the same with it and put it aside, to look more in the book. She found a spell that was extremely powerful and dangerous, but it was the best protection spell she could find. She just needed to find the right materials to make it. She had been given jewelry, if she needed it to a special occasion. She looked through it and found just what she was looking for. It was a silver necklace, with a small heart hanging from the chain. There were holy water in the heart, but it did not have any importance, so she got the water out and hang it around her neck, just when the occasion to her task presented itself. She then went over and started to read the last book.

Several hours later she got out of her room and searched for Mayako. She was in her room, so she knocked on the door

"Enter" Kagome went in, finding Mayako reading in her bed. She knew she could rely on her Lady on this task. She went over to the bed

"I have come to ask of you a favor, it might seem a bit strange, but please trust me, also when I say I can't tell you why yet" Mayako looked at Kagome curiously

"What can I help you with Kagome?" Kagome looked at her serious

"I need some drops of blood from you, Tashio and Sesshoumaru. I cannot get it, but you can. Trust me, what I am doing is just a security plan if anything goes wrong at the ball" Mayako smiled at Kagome

"You seem to always think of others. I will help you and come to you when I get it. But remember yourself Kagome" Kagome smiled and nodded. But she couldn't promise it. The side effect of the spell when activated, would affect her, but she would take that risk. They had become her family in the short time she had been there. She would protect them with all of her might, even if it cost her, her life. Kagome got up and smiled at Mayako before bowing and leaved.

* * *

><p>It was the day of the ball. They had arrived early and was shown up to their rooms. The same moment she was in her room, she began the last preparations. She had gotten the blood the day before, just when they had to leave, so she had not been able to make the spell yet. She put all of the Inu's blood in the heart necklace before putting it around her neck. She then said the needed words and filled it with the needed power to complete it. She felt the three Inu's presence. She could sense where they were<p>

_'Well, that will make it easier'_ Kagome thought smirking. She took her other necklace and the red scarf and went to Lady Mayako first. She knocked on the door and went in when she heard her answer. She walked over to Mayako and gave her the necklace

"I insist you will wear it tonight Milady" Kagome said smiling. Mayako looked at her suspiciously

"I have already chosen my accessories for the evening" Kagome smirked

"Please just put it on for the night Milady, for your sake" Mayako again looked suspiciously at her but nodded and put it on. Kagome bowed and sighed in relief, one down, one to go. She had not been able to make another. The book had said that making more than two at once would make her spell of protection weak. They got stronger the longer the protection spell stayed on the object. But she had the most important protection around her neck to save Tashio, if he got attacked. She then went to find Sesshoumaru. He was standing outside in the garden, watching the scenario. She gently touched him on the shoulder. He turned to look at her

"I want you to have this on you tonight" she said, giving him the red scarf. He hid it, in his haori

"Of course Milady, if you say so" he then took her hand and kissed it. Kagome giggled

"I do, and it is important you don't forget, or I will be most disappointed" she teased. Sesshoumaru smirked and gently kissed her on the lips, but Kagome pulled back

"I do not think that is wise on enemy territory" Sesshoumaru nodded a bit irritated, but Kagome just giggled

"Don't worry. When this is over you can have all the kisses you want" Sesshoumaru's beautiful smile returned

"Promise?" He asked with a devious smile on his lips. Kagome laughed

"Promise" They then went in to prepare for the ball. When Kagome got to her room she made the last preparation before the ball. It was her initiate plan, and she hoped it would work


	7. The Ball and the end of a Path

Chapter 7 –

Kagome had been given a beautiful deep red silk kimono with black flames on the hedges. She had her hair styled and the necklace around her neck. She was ready for battle. She closed the door to the side room she had in her quarters. Her little surprise waiting in that small room. She was then let into the ball hall. The servant stopped at the doorway and the announcer tapped his staff to the ground

"Presenting Lady Kagome, Priestess in the West" She saw many turn to look at her. She descended the stairs calmly and slowly and went to Lady Mayako's side. She noticed she had her necklace on

_'Good' _She turned to see Sesshoumaru and Tashio and bowed, and they both bowed back

"You look absolutely beautiful Lady Kagome" Tashio said. Kagome smiled shy

"Absolutely" Sesshoumaru agreed. Kagome blushed

"You yourselves look handsome this evening Milord's" she answered, still blushing. Tashio chuckled.

"Ah Lady Kagome! What a vision before my eyes! Have an angel visited us upon this night?" Yuko took her hand and kissed it. Kagome blushed even deeper. Rai pushed Yuko out of the way

"You look exquisite this evening Milady" Rai said, also kissing her hand. Kagome's face redden as a tomato

"Thank you Milord's, it is an honor to see you both again" They smiled at her, before both leaning in, each at one of her ears

"We will watch you tonight…" Rai started

"… and make sure no harm comes to you Milady" Yuko finished. Kagome blushed even deeper, if possible. They stepped back when they heard a low growl from Sesshoumaru.

"Thank you Milord's. I will go and get something to drink" Kagome bowed and left them to find something to drink, but also to get a breather from all the attention. She had to calm her nerves. She was really nervous that something would happen tonight. All three Lord's had made sure to put extra protection in their palaces and nearby villages, just in case. When Kagome finally got a mug she turned to see Sura looking at her

"So, you came" she snorted. Kagome smiled and bowed

"Yes, thank you for the invitation. You have a beautiful home Lady Sura" She saw Sura smirk

"It was my father that invited you, not me" Kagome suppressed a smirk.

"After tonight Sesshoumaru will be mine" Sura said whispering when she took a step closer towards Kagome

"Oh, and how did you think you could accomplish that?" Sura smirked, and then Kagome could feel a small knife at her side. Kagome sighed mentally

_'So, they went with either kidnapping me, or use me as black mail, or they are trying to get me separated from them…'_ Sura giggled evilly, stopping her from listing more possibilities in her head

"We should go somewhere else to talk, so follow me" Kagome rolled her eyes, but moved and walked with Sura. She was let into a small room and Sura locked the door laughing loudly and left. Kagome was looking around the room, but could not see anyone. She walked over to the door and tried to use her power to open it. But it reflected back at her. She fused bolts of energy into the door, only to have it bolt back at her. She could not get out! Kagome smirked she had seen this coming. It was good she had made preparations. Kagome concentrated to find the three Inu's auras. Tashio and Sesshoumaru were in the gardens, and Mayako in a different room than the room assigned to her or the ball room. Kagome concentrated on her elemental power and closed her eyes. She felt her body fell apart, and then she woke up in her assigned room. She had made a water clone, just in case they had tried anything with her. She quickly got up from the futon and stormed out from the small room in her quarters, and ran down towards her Lady. She found the room soon after and opened the door. Mayako stormed out hissing

"They trapped me in this room, which has a spell on it so I couldn't get out. They tried to knock me out, but it reflected back on the hitter" Kagome smirked

"They can't hurt you with the protection necklace I lent you. They trapped me too, and I prepared for it since I already had guessed it would happen" Mayako looked at her surprised

"They are about to blackmail Tashio and Sesshoumaru now as we speak, so how about we show them that we are unharmed?" Kagome asked. Mayako grinned and then they walked towards the gardens.

"Agree or Lady Mayako and Lady Kagome will be lost to both of you!" Kyo hissed, Sura giggled evilly behind him. A big group of soldiers stood behind the both of them, waiting for a command. Kagome smiled and made her entrance

"Do not underestimate me just because I was a human _Lord_ Kyo" Kagome hissed. She saw Lord Kyo's angered face, and Sura's pale one. Sesshoumaru and Tashio were smirking.

"I will not allow this!" Lord Kyo screamed hysterically and in a very quick move he had stabbed Tashio in the stomach with a knife

"Go down dog!" he hissed

"Tashio!" Mayako screamed. Kagome gasped in pain, and tasted blood in her mouth

_'Of course he has to stab the only one who isn't properly protected'_ Her blood protection spell had protected Tashio instead, and it was Kagome that suffered from the stab. Whatever damage that would happen to the protected, would instead happen to the one wearing the protection capsule with the blood in it. But she kept herself standing, pretending that nothing had happened. Before Lord Kyo could get to stab Tashio one more time, Sesshoumaru had pulled Lord Kyo away violently. Tashio looked down and saw to his surprise no wound. While Tashio looked confused, Sesshoumaru was fighting Lord Kyo. Mayako was running towards Tashio crying. Sura then screamed hysterical

"This is all the damn Inu's fault! You could just have given me Sesshoumaru, and everything would have been fine!" she screamed. In a second she had formed her poison whip and lashed it at Tashio. Kagome felt the hit on her shoulder

_'Does Tashio want to get injured?'_ he had yet to defend himself that damned dog! It had hurt like hell. Kagome turned and looked at the pond. She would have to do something… And just in that thought, Lord Kyo's warriors started attacking. Kagome hurried to the pond and dived in. She closed her eyes under the water and concentrated. She designed pictures and figures in her head, and felt herself being forced up. She opened her eyes, and saw that she was standig on a sphere of water. She then lifted her hands over her head, even though it was painful with the wound in her stomach and shoulder, still dripping with blood. She could feel the poison in the wound, so they had to put a stop to it fast. She might be youkai, but she was not invincible! Kagome pushed her hands forward, and water flew through the air and collided into some of the warriors with a hard force. Kagome looked towards Sesshoumaru; he seemed to do well, as well as Tashio

'_Finally'_. Mayako was fighting Sura, but the only thing that kept Mayako from being chopped to pieces was Kagome's protection spell, Mayako seemed more focused on her two men, than her own fight. Kagome took a step forward, a new sphere forming under her foot for every step. Kagome stopped at the edge of the pond and made a bow and arrow of her miko energy. She aimed the arrow at the unknowing Sura, and shot. It hit Sura in the chest, and she screamed before she was completely purified. Kagome once again gasped in pain, and went to her knees. She then hissed in pain again. She looked up to see Lord Kyo had wounded Tashio and Sesshoumaru in one great blow

_'See! He was stronger than you both believed him to be!'_ she hissed mentally. She had suffered a burning blow the same place as the stab wound, and she felt a small wound on her cheek as well. She gasped for air. It hurt like hell with the poison. She turned to see few warriors to her left running towards her, since their Lord fought against the two male Inu's. Mayako went to Kagome's side

"How did you get…" Kagome stopped her

"I will tell you later" Kagome gestured for Mayako to help her up. When she got up she concentrated on her power again, remembering one of the pages she had read. She felt energy forming in her hands. She looked to see one hand infused with purification energy and the other with fire

"Get behind me" Kagome whispered. Mayako got behind her. Kagome then slammed, with all her strength, her hands as fists down into the ground, and infused the energy into it. She knew Tashio, Mayako and Sesshoumaru would stay untouched thanks to her protection. The ground slightly glowed purple and the warriors screamed in pain before melting away. She fell to her knees. Mayako supported her, making sure she was stable. Now all they could do was observe the fight between the three Lords. Kagome looked at them. It must have been a surprise for the two male Inu's to find Lord Kyo strong enough to hold them both of. But in their defense, they did not have the great swords yet. Kagome saw Lord Kyo smirk

"So, you have protection spells on you? Well, I know a thing or two about them, and I know how to break one" She saw Sesshoumaru and Tashio's surprised faces, and they looked at Kagome quickly before returning their concentration back on Lord Kyo.

"It is you" Mayako whispered. Kagome nodded. She then saw Lord Kyo take a pouch out from his sleeve and threw the powder over both Inu's. Kagome paled. She could sense the magical protection from the sash disappear. Lord Kyo then threw a smoke bomb, making it impossible to see his movements. Mayako suddenly screamed, and Kagome felt the air left her chest. In the fading smoke, Lord Kyo had stabbed Sesshoumaru with his long sword through his chest. Tashio swung his sword and in one swing decapitated Lord Kyo. Kagome fell to the ground, gasping in pain, tasting blood in her mouth

_'Well, at least I saved them from any deadly injuries'_ Kagome thought. She was not dying, but it hurt like hell anyway, and it would definitely take a while recovering from her wounds. Tashio, Sesshoumaru and Mayako were at her side in a flash

"What in the world?" Tashio said, looking at her wounds.

"How…?" Sesshoumaru started, but Mayako ripped the blood-heart necklace of Kagome's neck and inspected it

"If I had known, I would not have agreed to it" Mayako said bitterly. Sesshoumaru and Tashio looked at her confused. Kagome coughed

"I made protection spells and precautions for the night" Kagome said lowly.

"I could only make two single protections, so I gave one to Mayako and one to Sesshoumaru. But to make sure you were all protected, even if the others broke, I had to make a strong one of blood…" Kagome coughed more blood up before continuing

"The vessel to carry it, would take the damage the protected would have gotten… It was an unexpected side effect I had not counted on being put through" Sesshoumaru took her in his arms, gently to make sure it was not too painful

"…stupid…" she heard Sesshoumaru mumble in her hair

"Excuse me for trying to protect the people I love. And my plan went well. They acted like I had predicted, and I fooled everyone" She felt their confused gazes

"It was not even me in the ball room. It was a clone of water. I was in my bed, with my conscience in the water clone, so if I got trapped, I could just destroy the clone and wake up" Kagome sat up, feeling her wounds starting to slowly heal

"Why did you not tell us?" Mayako asked. Kagome smiled at her

"Yeah, tell you battle plans in the house of the enemy, where he probably had ears everywhere? And besides, none of you would have agreed with the protection spell anyway" Kagome explained. They all nodded. Sesshoumaru helped her up

"Well, I guess you should go in and explain what happened to the host. I think I will go lay down" Tashio smiled and placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder

"Yes, you do that. You surely deserve it" Mayako and Tashio then went inside.

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru helped Kagome up in her room and placed her gently on the bed.<p>

"Promise me you will not do anything like that again" Sesshoumaru said. Kagome smiled gently at him

"I promise I will not do anything like that again, unless I feel it is the last resort" Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her

"The best I can do, live with it" she snorted. Sesshoumaru looked at her sad. She placed a hand on his cheek, stroking it gently

"I love you" Sesshoumaru smiled weakly and leaned into her touch

"I love you to Kagome" he then leaned in and kissed her.

Kagome had only been sleeping for a while, when she heard someone in her room. She tried to sit up, only to gasp in pain because of her wounds. She opened her eyes, looking around, but seeing none

"Someone here?" she asked, feeling kind of stupid for asking when she knew the Inu's were at the ball. Just in case, she searched her room with her energy. And bingo! In the corner, at the balcony door she felt a big aura. Kagome, with a lot of pain and effort tried to get to her feet

"I know you are there" she stated, trying not to fall over now when she finally got up on her feet

"You path here is over miko" the unidentified source said. Kagome froze

_'No'_ she knew that voice. That freaking voice that had told her of her path… The Bat Taiyoukai! She started to back away from the balcony door

"No… Please not yet" Kagome got out in one breath; she turned on her feel, forgetting all about her pain and ran for the door. She needed to say goodbye first… she needed…

_'No it is too early! I need to say goodbye!'_ she had almost reached the doorknob when she felt herself being grabbed from behind

"Your time here is over" the Bat Taiyoukai whispered into her ear, and with her claws she trapped Kagome in her arms and started to fly out through the balcony door

"NO! Sesshoumaru! SESSHOUMARU!" Kagome screamed with all her might. The Bat Taiyoukai flew up in the air, setting the course towards the well. A roar was heard from the palace, and Kagome turned to see a big white dog running in the air towards them.

"Sesshoumaru!" she continued screaming, in hopes he would safe her. The well was coming in closer and closer. She saw Sesshoumaru coming closer, and she could almost hear his desperate cry to get to her

"Don't worry; you will see each other again soon" the Bat Taiyoukai said before releasing the grip she had on Kagome, when she was just under the well.

When Kagome felt the grip on her loosen, everything was going in slow-motion. The wind in her hair, flowing around her like a carpet would, caught in the wind. She turned to look in the direction she knew Sesshoumaru was. Before she reached the well, her eyes locked on with Sesshoumaru's.

"I love you" she whispered before everything around her became lid up with different, but familiar colors, which meant, she was travelling through time. She didn't get to see which era she had ended up in when she finally landed at the bottom of the well, because of her wounds and blood loss, she became unconscious.


	8. Author's note!

**Authors note: **

**Hey guys, thank you all for your wonderful reviews! You all given me so much inspiration, that I have worked hard on making a story-plan for Kagome's final path in 6 chapters, but since its going to take a while to get it all written, I will try to get them out as fast as possible, so please be patient! Thank you for reading my first fanfic**

**Love **

**CayaC**


	9. The Path she walks

**Author's note:**

**After a mayor inspiration trip last night, I have finally finished my plan for the entire story, and after only 2 hours sleep, I have finished chapter 8. Thank you so much for your patience! Really hope you like it! Enjoy **

**Please review!**

**CayaC**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8 –<p>

"_Kagome!"_ she moved a bit and grunted in pain. She was sure she had heard someone call her

"Sesshou…maru" she managed to get out in a pained whisper. She felt tears fighting its way out. She remembered the Bat Taiyoukai and how Sesshoumaru had desperately tried to get to her. Her heart hurt. She would never see her Lady or Tashio again… She didn't get to say goodbye…

_'Sesshoumaru'_ would she ever see his smile again?

"Kagome!" the voice came closer, but she couldn't move. Her body stiff, tired and very weak. Her mind fussy and was breaking down for each minute she thought of _her_ Sesshoumaru. She felt arms around her, pulling her up. The shift in the wind told her they were out of well. But she didn't want to look. She already knew who it was that held her, and that told her which era she was in

_'Inu-Yasha'_ there was no mistake in it. She could clearly smell, with her new abilities, that it was a hanyou who carried her

"Sesshoumaru" she whispered again. She wanted to see him. Hold him. But would that even be possible?

"Sesshoumaru?! Did he do this to you!" she heard Inu-Yasha his. Kagome barely had any strength, to do anything at the moment, besides a small answer

"No" she whispered in response

"Then what the hell happened to you? You are youkai now!" he screamed, he did not seem to care that the volume hurt her head like hell

"Now Inu-Yasha, place her down on the mat, so I can see her injuries" she heard Sango say. She felt Inu-Yasha comply and gently laid her down on the sleeping mat. She felt warm, small gentle hands working over her body

"Kagome? What happened?" she heard her dear sister ask. How she would love for a girl talk and cry out all her frustrations, but she kind of felt… empty. Like something was missing

"Bat…" she managed to get out between painful breaths. She heard someone punch the floor, which she figured was Inu-Yasha

"That damn Bat youkai! What did she do to you?" he yelled. Kagome whimpered in pain from both Sango's touches and Inu-Yasha's voice

"Be quiet Inu-Yasha, with your brilliant hearing, how do you think Kagome feels with her new abilities?" since Kagome didn't hear anything after that, she could imagine him sulking over in a corner. Kagome had a hard time trying being still. Her very instinct told her to find Sesshoumaru. It hurt not being with him. She didn't think about why it physically hurt, but she needed to see him, even if it was just for a second

"Sesshoumaru" she whispered again, tears travelling down her cheeks. She could feel Sango's hand brushing the tears away

"You want us to get Sesshoumaru-sama" she heard Miroku say. Kagome could do nothing but nod. She heard a growl, and some clothes move, and she felt two presences leave the hut

"Now, sleep. I will take care of the wounds, the boys will get Sesshoumaru, so just concentrate on getting better" she heard Sango whisper in her ear. Kagome nodded, feeling safe, and just as she was about to sleep, a thought crossed her mind

"Stop them" she whispered to Sango. She saw her lean her head closer to her head

"Stop them" she managed to get out louder this time. Sango looked at her confused, but Kagome sent her a stern look, telling her she was serious. Sango nodded and got to her feet

"Come Kirara, we need to stop them" and with that she saw them leave the hut. She had no more energy, so she drifted back to sleep.

When Kagome finally woke up, she was feeling better, wounds healing nicely, but she was still weak. She looked around to find it being night, and her friends and son were sleeping around her. So close, that it seemed like they wanted to stay close enough to awaken, if Kagome needed help. She really wanted to smile, now that she finally saw them again, but she couldn´t. She kept thinking about _him_. She was almost afraid to even think his name, in fear of Naraku finding out. That reason, and only for that reason alone, she had called the boys back. No, she needed to keep her relationship with _him_ a secret for now. She wouldn´t want a redo of the Inu-Yasha- Kikiyo disaster… Nope, she didn´t want to fall in her incarnations footstep and have them ending killing each other. So until Naraku was gone from this world, she would have to keep it for herself. Kagome held her hand over her mouth, to keep her crying volume to a minimum. She wouldn´t have Inu-Yasha waking up, asking about her and Sesshoumaru just yet. She saw her son, lying next to her pillow. Kagome laid down, pulling Shippou down next to her, so she could hold him in his sleep. The scent was very comforting, and was helping her heart. She thought of Naraku… They would need to take him out, and they would need the remaining jewel shards, but first she would need to mask her aura and scent, and she would need to use a spell, so she again could appear human. She would have to fool Naraku, for them to have the upper hand. Sesshoumaru… She would have to fool him too, for both their sakes, and hopefully, he would one day forgive her. With that in mind, completely set on what to do in the morning, she closed her eyes again, and went to meet with her love in her dreams.

* * *

><p>- Next morning –<p>

When Kagome woke a second time, she could see her friends had been up for a while, waiting for her to wake up. Sango helped her up, so she could sit. She could _feel_ they wanted an explanation, and there was no way around it. Kagome started too contemplate which parts to tell, and which parts that should just remain unsaid, she didn't get far, since they were not patient, well _someone_ wasn't that patient

"What the hell Kagome! What happened! One second that ugly hag bat grabs you and in the next, I see you being thrown down the well, which by the way _didn't _let me through!" Inu-Yasha stopped for a while to catch his breath. Kagome was holding a frightened kitsune in her arms. She felt her eye twitching in irritation

"… THEN after a month, I happened to get a sniff of your blood, and what do you know, YOU were lying on the bottom of the well BLEEDING!" Inu-Yasha was up on his feet; all red in his face and you could see the restraint that came in just saying the next words, somewhat _agreeable_ for the already damaged hearing.

"So, care to deliberate on what happened?" and then he send the meanest glare he had ever given her, daring her to say

'_Nothing much_' or flat-out lie. Kagome let out the breath she hadn't realized she had held. Kagome chuckled a little awkward, scratching the back of her head

"Now, if you would _please_ just sit down, I promise I will tell you… But… _please_ give me some water, and then I will start and not stop till you tell me… Deal?" halfway through Kagome had clasped her hands together, as if in a prayer, put on her doggy eyes, had asked in her sweetest tone, and then she just … waited… for any reaction… Inu-Yasha tensed up, she was expecting this, and she sighed defeated

"Fine" he grumbled and sat down, Kagome looked at him shocked

'_Did he just give in?'_ now she had seen everything! In the meantime Sango handed her some water. After Kagome got some fluid through her dry throat she turned to friends and started

"Okay, let's start from the beginning. Remember you asked for it" she said dryly, pointing at Inu-Yasha. He narrowed his eyes at her

"What I remember from the attack is this; Inu-Yasha and I were fighting that creepy Bat Taiyoukai, we thought we got her, I blacked out, the next thing I know, I wake up in the bottom of the well. Imagine my surprise, because… really, of all places to throw me, it was the well? I heard the words "_This is the path meant for you"_ and of course, I assumed I was just going crazy… but boy… that was nothing compared to what happened next" Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha horrified

"I met your father" Inu-Yasha at first didn't really seem to… grasp the information that had travelled through those cute ears of his, but a couple of awkward minutes and holding breaths later, Inu-Yasha was in her face with a look of joy she had never seen before

"Really?! How was he like?... No, no no… What did he look like?... No not that…" Kagome put a hand on his mouth to stop his streak of words that just kept coming

"Would you shut up and just si… err… *cough* if you would please _stay_ still, then I will continue with my story… _please_" Kagome said calmly, she understood his excitement, but so close in her face, was just too close to comfort, and her ears still hadn't recovered from his earlier yelling. Inu-Yasha sat down, and Kagome couldn't help but giggle. He looked so much like a pup being told a fantasy story… and that stopped her giggle… no, it had not been a fantasy story

"Yes, I met him. I was sure I was going to die when I said _the_ most embarrassing thing to him,_ which_ I will NOT deliberate on…" she had seen Miroku's smirk and his mouth that would have asked for more details

"But anyway, we became sort of friends" she stopped for a moment, remembering one of Inu-Yasha's question, and she smiled warmly at him

"You look at lot like him. He is tall like Sesshoumaru, but you have his robust figure and smile, and that devious glint you get in your eye when you are plotting or are trying to manipulate me into doing something… but you both resemble him in one way and another" that made Inu-Yasha snort, but he kept silent. She shed a tear in memory of Tashio. It hurt that she would never hear his warm and deep laughter again. Never feel his reassuring and trusting arms… Kagome couldn't help it. She led the tears flow, but kept talking

"He invited me to stay at his castle, being the temporally miko in his village, until I fulfilled whatever it was that I had to fulfill, so that I could return home… I just never thought it would hurt so much from being separated from them… In a mere _month_ we had become a family, a pack that protected each other backs, and not because we had too because of the _path_" she said the last words with disgust. She noticed all of her friends; even Inu-Yasha was struggling with keeping the tears at bay

"Then thanks to a book of poems and a writer named I.N.M. I got to realize what my path was… my mission" she looked at bit worried at Inu-Yasha

"The poem stated that I, in my travels, would affect the First and the Last. I deciphered it, and it told of the time I released Inu-Yasha, affecting his path… The Last is a reference to Inu-Yasha." She looked at her friends. Trying to see if they got the drift, and of course Miroku was as sharp as ever

"The First referrers to Lord Sesshoumaru" Kagome nodded

"Yes, my path was to go back in that era to safe Sesshoumaru from something, and that something was a scum Lord that would have been buddies with Naraku, had he still been alive, _and Sura would have been his bitch_" Kagome whispered, giggling

"I saved all three Inu's, sorry for cutting the story short, but basically it was just; me being insulted, me being hurt, me saving a village, me being hurt… again, me saving Sesshoumaru, me being hurt… again…" Kagome tried to summarize only flat-out facts

"…Then, what came next, Oh yeah… Saved all three Inu's from poison, me saving the village… again, me transformed into this, then Lord Scumbag and Lady Snob set the last trap, again, me saved the day, and me got hurt" her hands gestured forth and back, from side to side while she kept the childish rambling

"The freaking Bat came again, and she did not give me the chance to say goodbye, then she threw me down the well, and you know the rest" she ended. They looked at her with disbelieving eyes

"And now I need to complete the jewel and kick Naraku's ass so he can have a tea party with Lord Kyo in hell" she stated with a determined look on her face

"But there is one thing we need to get over with first" they all looked at her confused and curious, surprisingly enough still silent, if it was from shock or confusion or something else she didn't know, but she continued

"I will mask my appearance, so I will look like the old Kagome. And from the moment we step outside the door, all this we have just talked about stays secret. No one can know. Naraku has his eyes everywhere and we don't know what can happen if others knew" and by others she meant Naraku AND Sesshoumaru

"If ANYONE and I mean it when I say, if ANYONE asks where I have been for the past month, then answer, home. Nothing more, nothing less. Home" now the silent broke out into a lot of protest and questions and… she didn't get it all, it was too noisy at one time

"Please, it is for everyone's safety. Trust me" Kagome had her most serious and sincerest face on. They all sighed defeated. They knew better than to argue with Kagome

"But your story still doesn't explain why you were all moaning for Sesshoumaru" Inu-Yasha grumbled, clearly annoyed

"SIT!" it had come out before she had realized it. She coughed, trying to fight the blush she could feel coming

"Sesshoumaru and I became sort of… friends, and when I was in that era and when my mission was clear, I did nothing but worry for him, so excuse me for worrying over your half-brother in another era, who despise me in this" she hissed the last part out. Inu-Yasha then became rather comical. First, he looked surprised, then confused, then angry… but the last kept her from laughing at his emotion display… sympathy… so not the emotion she expected from him of all people

"What was he like?" he asked, sounding curious. It was an understatement to say that she was just surprised, but the joy she felt, when she realized he wanted to know his brother… before he became cold, was great. Kagome smiled big

"He was a gentleman from the first time I met him, and almost all the way through to the end. He had a bad day like others, but nothing like he is today. He was kind and friendly, but most of all, he wouldn't have minded you as a brother, of that I am sure" Inu-Yasha's ears laid flat on top of his head, but then he shook his head, as if coming out of whatever dream he was imagining

"He might have been like that once, but not anymore, and you need to start getting your former senses back. The old Kagome didn't like him as a friend, with good reason, but if your act needs convincing, you just have to think of him as monster his is" Inu-Yasha spat

"Sit" she mumbled tired. And down he went cursing. She wasn't fully healed yet, and should could feel the tiredness in her body. She felt arms hug her; she lifted her gaze to see Sango

"You will do fine, and yes we will keep it a secret. You should use that spell now, just in case, you never know" Sango said, pointing upwards, referring to Kanna's annoying mirror. Kagome nodded. She concentrated on her power, and asked them to help her change back for a while, and the powers did their masters bidding. She had found asking the elements for help was less restraining on the body. She felt the power working, and in no time, she looked like her old self

"So, now what mom?" Shippou asked, down from her lap

"Now we are going shard hunting"

* * *

><p>- 2 days in the hunt –<p>

"Kagome! Please slow down, or least let us rest for a while!" Sango complained, gasping for air. They had walked for 7 straight hours, Kagome speed, which meant turbo speed.

"Yeah Kagome, you all called me a slave driver, but I was never this mean" Inu-Yasha complained. Kagome took a deep breath. Yes, she had worked them hard, and luckily enough they had managed to get 1 shard. She had felt another, but it kept moving in weird directions and through difficult terrain

"What if we lose this shard then?" she asked a little irritated. She had been up 2 days straight (It was manageable thanks to the youkai side of her) trying to figure out some ways on being somewhat prepared for an attack, or if she could make, create whatever! Something that could be useful in the final battle. She knew Sesshoumaru would be there. How? He had '_secretly_' followed them the past day and a half. He had done it before, and she was sure it was only because her group was Naraku's favorite targets.

"Yes, but let's be reasonable Lady Kagome. If we can't even hold our weapons to fight from exhaustion, how are we supposed to get the jewel?" Kagome frowned

_'Damn! Good point!'_ Kagome simply nodded, and started to set up camp.

Some hours later, they had all eaten, and now they were just relaxing. The camp was in total silence. Normally, she would be the one to break the silence, but her mood… her heart was just not in it, so why bother. She missed Sesshoumaru, and just as she had thought it, Kagome felt Sesshoumaru's aura nearing. She had dreaded this, but she knew it would come at some point

"Incoming" Kagome said, quickly getting to her feet, grabbing her bow and arrows, standing ready. She had to act the part, and this is what she used to do, before… her small adventure… In a flash, Sesshoumaru stood in front of them, standing up regal, his mask on, and with his famous glare

"What do you want bastard!?" Inu-Yasha yelled, already with the Tetsaiga out and turned. Kagome kept her stance, with an arrow notched. She felt overjoyed just by seeing him, but another side still cried for his frosty heart. She wanted to touch him, show him _her_. The Kagome he had once known and loved. She felt herself fighting with her resolve. Her outside appearance was the opposite, it was hard, but she had her mask on, and acted as the good loyal girly she had always been in others eyes. But her mask almost wavered when Sesshoumaru turned his gaze to her. His mask didn't move an inch when he looked at her, but she could see something was going on behind the golden eyes, but he was too far for her to see

"I see your miko has returned brother" he stated, still not taking his eyes off her

_'This is not good… It sounds like he fishing for information'_

"Yes of course she has prick! Why wouldn't she after I gave her permission to rest at home for while! I am not the slave driver everybody thinks!" he yelled charging at Sesshoumaru with Tetsaiga. Kagome fought hard not to smile at Inu-Yasha

_'Thank you Inu-Yasha, who knew you had in it you'_ Sesshoumaru dodged Inu-Yasha's lame attempt of a strike

"I see she was not the only one resting _brother_" Sesshoumaru neutrally stated, looking him over as if he was judging what he was looking at. Now, that got Inu-Yasha pissed! He started sending one Wind Scar after another, and Sesshoumaru easily dodging them all. Kagome, Shippou, Miroku, Kirara and Sango sat down and watched the fight.

15 minutes in, Miroku handed Kagome and Sango a mug of tea, who was still observing Inu-Yasha's tantrum and Sesshoumaru's provocations

"When should we stop them?" Miroku asked, taking a sip of his own tea. Shippou jumped up on his shoulders

"Why should we stop them, I like seeing Inu-Yasha get kicked around" he said with a big grin

"That is not nice Shippou! And I to believe it is about time they stopped. We still have a shard to hunt down" she replied a little annoyed. She had not expected their fight to last this long, and her nerves could not take anymore. One of them was bound to get seriously hurt. With her determination set, she stood and walked at little closer to the battlefield, and observed the fight closely, so as to not make a mistake. And then, the perfect moment came. Inu-Yasha had found an opening and was about to stab Sesshoumaru in the gut, when the oh so familiar voice shouted

"SIT"

"humph" it sounded from Inu-Yasha's lips when he collided with the ground. Kagome ran up to him

"Now, I believe you have had enough time to let of some steam. AND I can't believe I of all people should remind you of this, but we are on the way to hunt down the shard!" she yelled at him before gripping his haori at his back and pulled him up

"Now did you, or are you going to continue?" she sent him a glare that promised him pain if he dared to continue

"No, all better" he whispered a bit frightened. Then he shot Sesshoumaru a glare, who had just been observing their conversation, and walked away, towards her friends. Kagome turned to look at Sesshoumaru. So close. He was standing so close… A few steps and she could be in his arms… But no, that had to wait. She didn't have the courage to talk to him without giving herself away, so she bowed respectfully before running after Inu-Yasha, as she always used to do. When she had reached her friends and turned around, he was already gone

'_Soon'_ she thought. There were not many shards left, so the final battle would soon come. Kagome smirked, during the brothers little spat and fighting, she had thought about how Naraka was her last mission, her last _path_. And that was when she had finally come up with a plan. Kagome turned to her friends and gestured for them to leave. So when they were ready, she started walking down that path that would lead her to battle and hopefully love.


	10. Old friends and a new 'ally'

**Author's note:**

**Thank you all so much for your great reviews, they really are a big help! : ) I'm sorry the new chapter came a bit late, but I will make up for it by putting 2 new chapters up I just finished today, so please**

**Enjoy the read and please, please review! **

**Love 3**

**CayaC**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9 –<p>

1 week had passed since seeing Sesshoumaru. And boy had it been hard. Kagome had pushed the group to the extreme, to try to get the remaining shards as quickly as possible. She didn't know if she could handle another week without him. Luckily for them Kagome had sensed a shard, and they were currently tracing it down

"Are you sure it is that way Kagome?" Inu-Yasha asked. He had a weird look on his face. Kagome frowned

"Yes Inu-Yasha, otherwise I wouldn't be going in that direction. Why?" Inu-Yasha sniffed the air and looked confused, stopped and looked weirdly into the forest they were heading

"Because I can't smell anything in there or hear anything! What forest doesn't have smells and sounds!" he proclaimed. Again Kagome frowned, that couldn't be right… she could smell strawberries… and peach… weird… she had smelled it before, but she couldn't remember from were. But Inu-Yasha was right. There were no sounds what so ever. The group stopped just outside forest

"I can smell something, but you are right. There is something in there" Kagome took a step forward, entering the forest. But she looked back when she heard protests from her friends. They were still standing in the same spot as before

"What are you waiting for? The shard is in here" she stated. Inu-Yasha took a step forward, only to walk into an invisible wall

"It would seem a barrier is protecting the forest" Miroku said, eyeing the forest with new, curious eyes

"Come out here Kagome! There is no way you are going in there by yourself!" Inu-Yasha yelled, again trying to pass but the same thing just happened again

"I think he is right Kagome, we will figure something else out" Sango said, she seemed uneasy, and was looking at the forest worried, as if the forest possessed by ghosts

"Am I supposed to take that as an insult or just plain worry?" Kagome asked a bit icy and disappointed, sending them a glare. They already knew what she could do, what she was (And just because she had masked her scent, aura and real looks, it didn't mean she had suppressed her powers!), so if they were questioning her ability to protect herself, then she would feel a bit insulted. They looked at her surprised. Sango and Miroku blushed in embarrassment, realizing her words, but Inu-Yasha had the balls to stand and nod. Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looked at Inu-Yasha, smiling her famous

'_Are you sure, you want to go with that answer'_ smile she had only for Inu-Yasha. And since Inu-Yasha just looked at her, waiting for her to come out, she did the only she could do in that situation.

"SIT!" she yelled with power. Inu-Yasha was out, unconscious in that one blow

"Now, I will go check it out. If! It is out of my capability to retrieve the shard, then I will come back, and we will make a plan… Does that sound fine to you?" Kagome asked with authority. After she became youkai, her instincts had told and showed her a lot. She was Alpha in this pack, and her pack needed to show that they could follow her orders. And when Miroku and Sango looked worried at each other, Shippou just observing, seeing no problem with his Alpha taking the lead on this one, she looked at them

"As your Alpha I order you to stay here and protect Inu-Yasha and Shippou until I come back. Shippou, your spell, which makes Inu-Yasha unable to move, I think it would be a good idea to use it until my return or if matters change and you need him. Okay?" Miroku and Sango were a little taken back, but then nodded in agreement. She knew she would have to talk to them later about her behavior, but it was difficult to talk about _him_. She just hadn't been able to. Every time she tried to open her mouth and talk about him with Sango, she started crying. So she kept _him_ to herself. Working hard on finishing her mission, so she could see him, tell him what he needed to hear. She needed to know if they had a future together or not. The unknowing when it came to him, frightened her, ruined her night sleep and dreams. Kagome shook her head. She couldn't afford thinking about that right now. She had her mission. She turned and looked at Shippou, who smiled her

"Of course mom, just hurry up" Kagome smiled. Shippou had faith in her, and it helped her keep on going. She nodded, turned and walked deeper into the forest.

Kagome had put up a small barrier around her, just in case. She would hate being attacked and not get to respond in time. It was weird. Even inside the barrier, she could hear no sound and only smell the strawberries and peaches from before. She quietly walked towards the smells and the pull of the shard, and hid behind a tree when she got close enough to hear voices

"… been a long time friend! Now, do you think she will come for it?" she heard a familiar voice ask

"Of course! She mentioned she was hunting them down. It should not take too long now Rai, I have waited here for 1 month now…" Kagome gasped and then smiled, dropping her barrier and ran out in the clearing

"Rai! Yuko!" she yelled, smiling running towards them. The two that had talked turned their heads in her direction. They both got up, but in defensive pose

"Who are you…" Yuko started

"… And how did you come through the barrier?" Rai finished. Kagome stopped. Couldn't they recognize her? True, she looked like her human self, when they first met, but come on! Kagome huffed

"Seriously, just because I have masked my scent, aura and appearance... Can you seriously not recognize me, even in my human form?… so disappointed" she said with fake disappointment in her voice. She saw them look intently at her before breaking into smiles. In a flash she felt the arms of the two youkai around her, embracing her in a hug

"Oh my god Kagome! It has been centuries!" Yuko stated

"Yes, way too long" Rai said. Kagome laughed and hugged them back. Then they showed her over to their camping site and sat down

"So, what are you two doing here?" she asked curiously. She would have thought they were in their domains. Yuko pulled a cloth out from his haori and gave it to Kagome. Kagome opened the cloth, seeing 2 jewel shards! Not one as she first had thought

"How…" she started, but Yuko and Rai held their hands up, interrupting her

"We remembered your tale of the Shikon jewel, and when we heard it had broken into shards…" Rai started

"… Then we knew we finally had the chance to meet you again…" Yuko continued

"…We started our own search for the shards in our lands… Which proved to be rather difficult…" Rai told

"… But we managed to find these two in one of my human villages. They were protecting it, but handed it to me, when I promised as a Lord to return them to its rightful owner… And here we are, waiting for you to sense them" Yuko finished. Kagome smiled. She had missed these two, and their twin brother complex

"Are you okay Kagome? Why are you crying?" Kagome reached up to touch her cheeks. They were right, she was crying

"I… I have just missed you all so much… I didn't get to say goodbye to any of you…" her silent cry became sobs. She felt arms around her again, comforting her

"Tashio told us what happened that night… We are so sorry it happened…" Rai told her

"… But you are here now, and we will help you as much as we can" Yuko finished; he too was on the verge of tears. Kagome smiled through her tears

"I am just sorry that I didn't get to say a final goodbye to Milord and Milady" Kagome whispered. She still missed them very much. She felt Rai and Yuko move back to their seats

"Yes, it was really a pity what happened to Tashio…" Rai whispered. Kagome nodded, but then snapped her head up to meet Rai's eyes

"Tashio…? Yes, but what about Milady?" she asked. She had not been told Sesshoumaru's mother died or anything, she had just presumed, since she really couldn't see Tashio as the infidelity type

"Living at her sky castle, and has done so for at least 400 years now" Yuko replied. Kagome was happy she was alive!

"How is she? Is she all right? How do I get to meet…" Rai hold a hand up to stop her

"After Taisho's indiscretion she kept mostly to herself, and moved to the castle" Rai answered sadly. Kagome nodded understanding… They sat silent for a while… Until she looked at the shards and an idea came to mind. It would be perfect for her plan!

"I have a favor, or a couple, to ask… Would you please help me?" she asked. Just because they were friends, it didn't mean they would help, but fortunately both of them nodded for her to continue

"Okay to start with, our meeting needs to stay a secret for everyone's safety… That means Sesshoumaru too…" they looked at her surprised

"He doesn't know? How long have you been back?" Yuko asked surprised

"Almost 2 weeks… No, if he knew, then Naraku might know to, and then he would end up using it against me and Sesshoumaru… It will have to wait until after the battle, but for that I need your help" she answered sad with a small smile. They seemed a little reluctant but nodded in agreement. Who could blame them? It was Sesshoumaru they had to hide it from… The Sesshoumaru who could smell deception and lies… No problem…

"Next… I have a plan to defeat Naraku, but I need some materials I can't get without being noticed and busted… so this is what I need…" then she started to lay out her plan and then which materials she would need. When she finished, they looked at her worried

"Are you sure this is a good idea? That protection spell is no joke… but you already know that…" Rai asked uneasy, Yuko too looked at her worried

"Well, the items you need to get, plays a crucial role in it, so if you can get it, I will make sure it gets used properly, and the protection spell… Just trust me on this, all right?" Kagome asked while smiling. She knew she was talking a risk… again with that spell, but… they were her friends, and there was no way in hell she would let any of them die on the battlefield. Yuko and Rai nodded, understanding her intentions

"But… if something were to go wrong…" she whispered. She took a letter out of her bag, she had written before sleep the last couple of nights. She then handed it to Yuko

"If something goes wrong, please deliver this to Sesshoumaru…" she fought the tears she could feel pressing. Yuko took the letter, but kept holding her hand

"Are you sure we that we can't help more than this?" Rai asked concerned. She could see they didn't like her taking such a big risk. She smiled reassuringly

"The plan goes south if you were to help further… I need you in the background helping me… I can't ask this of any other" she answered, tightening her grip on Yuko's hand. They both nodded

"Well, you know what to do… But next time we meet, let it be in a barrier too, to keep Naraku from finding out… the problem is how you can contact me, so I know you have it ready" Kagome wondered. Rai waved his hand, telling her not to worry about it

"I have an idea, you just wait and you will receive a message when it is ready" he replied. Kagome nodded, breathing out, tired from her emotional distress

"But how will you get the blood?" Yuko asked, while Kagome fished a single shard up from her necklace she had the other shards in. Kagome smiled devious

"Do not worry; I have a plan for that to… I would almost say it would be a bigger risk getting the blood than my entire plan" Kagome giggled, winking at the two youkai's who lid up in a grin

"You don't say…" Rai chuckled. Kagome handed Yuko the one shard

"So you know how it should look" she informed him. He simply nodded and took it, hiding it in his clothes. Kagome got up

"I will have to go now, my friends are waiting" she stated. She hugged them both, and waved when she left the clearing, walking back to her waiting friends.

* * *

><p>When Kagome got out of the forest the first thing she noticed was her friends had moved somewhere else. And the second thing she noticed was the empty crater where Inu-Yasha had been in when she left, but she understood when she felt a massive aura not a long way from her position. <em>Sesshoumaru<em>. Her heart started to race and she became nervous. She had to hurry, but found it difficult with her feet nailed to the ground

'_Okay Kagome. Get it over and done with, you can do it!'_ she mentally coached herself. Taking a deep breath and then letting it out, she set course towards the fighting Inu's.

The sight that met her was the same as usual when the Inu brothers fought. An insult from Sesshoumaru, an insult from Inu-Yasha, clashing swords a bit, and then they started all over. The only exemption was the short glance Sesshoumaru shot her way when she arrived

"Do I even want to know?" Kagome asked her friends that just sat observing. Used to the brothers endless fights. Sango, Miroku and Shippou shook their heads no

The only thing that worried her was the reason as to why Sesshoumaru was there… Had he been following them? And if he had… why? Did he know? Kagome observed Sesshoumaru carefully… It did not seem like it… She hoped not… If he did, then his behavior told they had no future together… she had to think of something else, or her confusing thoughts would ruin everything! Kagome quickly looked for Jaken, and saw him yelling at Rin not far from them. Kagome ran over to them and knelt by Rin's side

"Hey sweetie how is it going" she asked Rin. Rin gave her a big smile

"Kagome! Rin has been very good!" Kagome nodded approvingly

"I need to borrow your protector for a bit, why don't you run over and play with Shippou in the meantime?" Kagome asked, grabbing Jaken. Rin smiled and ran over towards her friends. Kagome ran a good distance away, so she could talk quietly with Jaken. He on the other hand was shrieking the entire way, offering a couple of not so pleasant names too… human… wench etc. She gently placed Jaken down

"I am sorry master Jaken" she said, working on being on his good side

"But I need your assistance" Jaken looked at her in total disbelief

"And why should I help Inu-Yasha's human wench?" he asked. But surprisingly he hadn't just run of, yet.

"What I am about to tell you, does not get anywhere else but between the two of us, or… I will make Sesshoumaru punish you for the next 100 years…" she held her hand up to stop him from protesting

"And yes I can make him do that to you… try me" Kagome dared. It might not have been the best persuasion method, but right now she needed his discretion. Jaken audibly swallowed

"Tell me, and then let's see if I can help" he grumbled. Kagome smirked, and then told him of her plan. When she finished he stood with eyes as big as plates (And that looked comical on that small head)

"You would go to such lengths to keep Milord safe?" he asked still in disbelief

"Yes, one day you will know why, but I need your help, or else parts of my plan, falls apart" Jaken nodded, thinking

"It will be really difficult, but I will do as you asked… BUT only because it is for My Lord Sesshoumaru" he stated. Kagome smiled big

"Thank you so much Jaken! I owe you big time!" Kagome said happily. Her plan was beginning to take form. Jaken grunted

"I will go first… No one should know we talked" Kagome said. Jaken nodded while Kagome went back towards her friends, and he stayed until she was out of sight.

When she came back, she noticed the brothers had tired themselves out, but was still, somewhat, fighting

"Where were you Kagome" Sango asked when she finally noticed her, Miroku turned his gaze towards Kagome too

"Nature called" she simply stated. Both of them nodded and continued watching the brothers. Kagome turned to look at them. _Sesshoumaru_ her heart called out. He was bleeding and breathing heavily. Inu-Yasha was in worse shape, but he wasn't the one she looked at… She stopped herself from looking… She couldn't do that yet… What to do… She felt like, wanting to crawl out of her skin, from frustration... She missed the feeling of his arms… Not to show the love she felt for him. She was beginning to shake with want and need

'_I wonder if a drug addict feels this way, when they have been out of drugs for a while'_ she mused. She needed Sesshoumaru to go. Even 5 minutes in his company made her body do strange things, and she had a hard time standing up straight with a calm expression on her face, so she had to do, what old Kagome used to do. She walked up, standing between the two of them

"Training session over! Inu-Yasha, get your but away from here and let's get going" she stated, only looking at Inu-Yasha.

"But Kagome! I was kicking his ass!" Inu-Yasha complained. A snort was heard, and it had been from both Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Kagome, realizing what she had just done, almost panicked, but tried to save it

"Do I really have to say it Inu-Yasha?" she asked with her devilish smile she always had before a big sit. Inu-Yasha's ears went down to his skull, he sheathed Tetsaiga, send Sesshoumaru a glare, as he always does, and walked, slowly due to his injuries, back to her friends. Kagome sighed. All this seemed like a déjà vu. It was always the same. The brothers fought, she stopped them, Inu-Yasha's goodbye glare to Sesshoumaru… Sigh… It really had become a bother. Kagome turned, bowed respectfully and then hurried back to her friends. Again, she did not want to see his eyes, and again she was afraid to speak. She hurried over to Rin and gave her a hug

"I will see you soon sweetie, be a good girl" Rin nodded smiling and ran after her Lord who already were on his way, away.

"Maybe, we should rest a bit Kagome? Inu-Yasha needs to recover" Shippou said, looking worried at Inu-Yasha

"Are you saying I'm weak kid?" Inu-Yasha threatened. Shippou flashed him a smirk

"Oh no, I would never Inu-Trasha" Shippou teased. Inu-Yasha tried to get up and run after the little runt, but Kagome pushed him back on the ground

"I need to bandage your wounds, and then you can chase him all you want, as long as there is no violence" Kagome stated a little cold. Inu-Yasha just grunted unhappy, laid down to let Kagome work. Kagome couldn't help the smirk on her lips. She hated to watch the brothers fight, but this fight had come as a blessing in disguise. She now had Inu-Yasha's blood. One more thing to the plan, which had succeeded. Kagome looked at her occupied friends. It wouldn't be long now. Naraku would soon pay for his evil and she, hopefully could soon return to her inu's arms. If Rai, Yuko and Jaken succeeded, then Naraku would be over and done with before the month's end… She could only hope


	11. A day filled with meetings

**Author's note:**

**Can't believe it! I actually finished the second chapter today, as I promised in the previous chapter… I have a sore back now, but it was all worth it! Specially if you would review the two chapters ; ) This chapter is a little different from the other chapters, but read it and find out how!**

**Please enjoy and review!**

**Love **

**CayaC **

* * *

><p>Chapter 10 –<p>

Early morning –

Kagome woke from her sleep. Not knowing what woke her up. She looked around their camp, only to find them all asleep, even Inu-Yasha who had the guard duty! She was about to continue her sleep, at least an hour more, when she was hit by a stone. She hissed a bit in pain, rubbing her hand over the sore spot on her shoulder. She looked to see where the stone had come from, only to spot Jaken waving his hands at her. Kagome gently and quietly got up and hurried over to Jaken. He gestured for her to follow him, and they walked away from the camp.

A little while later they came out to a clearing, where Rin was playing among the flowers with Ah-Un

"So, I guess you got it?" Kagome asked a little nervously. Their plan might have backfired, but if it had, then she would have imagined Sesshoumaru had sought her out. Jaken nodded and fished a vial of blood, out from his kimono, and handed it to her

"It helped that the hanyou had gotten _some_ blows in" Jaken said dryly. Kagome giggled, went to her knees and hugged the little toad

"Thank you so much Jaken. I will do my best to protect him" she whispered, so Rin couldn't hear a thing, not that she had noticed her presents yet anyway. Jaken squeaked, but then blushed

"Just keep him safe" he mumbled. Kagome nodded gratefully, hiding the vial in her clothes. She then turned her attention to Rin

"Hello Rin!" she called the small girl. Rin turned and saw Kagome

"Kagome!" she yelled, running towards her and smashed herself into Kagome's leg, hugging it so much, that she almost cut of her blood supply

"Have you been good since the last we saw of each other?" Kagome asked, though she knew the answer. Rin was always a good little girl filled with smiles

"Kagome! It has only been a week since you saw Rin! But Rin has been good" she said the last bit out shyly

"Can you stay and play with Rin?" Rin asked shyly. Kagome grinned. She was just too adorable. Who could say no?

"Of course sweetie… Now… what to play…" Kagome answered, and pondered over which game to play. Rin shrieked in joy and ran around Kagome happy

"Well, since you've got so much energy, what about I help Jaken 'un-energize' you a bit with tag?" Kagome asked laughing, Jaken sending her a grateful small smile. Rin hopped up and down

"Yeah tag!" then Rin smacked Kagome gently to the side

"You're it!" she giggled happily and then ran through the flowers. Kagome, laughing chased after her

* * *

><p>Afternoon –<p>

"It does not concern you where I was this morning!" Kagome hissed at Inu-Yasha. Ever since she had come back, finding her friends waiting for her with a thousand questions... each... Okay, she totally understood them… Last time she disappeared, it had been for a month and to another time era, but come on! Even a girl needs her space!

"Yes it does! We need to know where you run of to, if something goes wrong!" Inu-Yasha kept going. Kagome threw her hands up in the air frustrated

"If I need to go for a second, without any of you, then I need to go… Without any of you! I am sorry, but I have my reasons. You just need to trust me on this, and when have I ever given you doubts not to trust me?" Kagome asked plain and simple, mad. She saw Sango nod in agreement, but Miroku still seemed doubtful

"As I have stated before, I can take care of myself, and you would be the first to know, if I needed help… Again, have I, or have I not given you reason to doubt me? Not to trust me?" Kagome sneered disappointed. It seemed like they didn't trust her, and here she was putting her sanity and love to the test by trying to save them all, putting her own needs to the side… _for them_.

"I trust your judgments and decisions. But, please, if you need any help, then do not hesitate to ask" Miroku said stern, with a look in his eyes, Kagome couldn't read. It made her feel uneasy… Like he knew more than he was letting on. Kagome eyed him cautiously. No, he didn't… did he?

'_Oh God! I swear I am beginning to become paranoid!'_ her entire situation was… troubling… She had problems with her night's sleep, with the nightmares of what's to come, she kept worrying if any of her friends, or worse Sesshoumaru found out! If any of them did, her plan would be ruined. None of them would accept it… Kagome sighed tired… When was the last time she had slept a somewhat decent sleep? Hmm… Oh yeah… the other era… Again Kagome sighed… she had done that a lot lately. You could even see the lack of sleep on her face. Kagome got up and started to pack her things

"We need to get to the last shards, and those would be Koga's" Kagome stated. Dropping their previous conversation, since there was no point in keep talking about it. Her group followed her example, and so they were on their way towards the northern mountains, Koga's home.

* * *

><p>Kagome was walking with her friends. They were close, and she could feel Koga close by. But her attention was getting disrupted by a freaking leaf! For the past 10 minutes she had walked, a leaf flew past her vision… Not once… Not twice… It kept going, it was so freaking weird! She told the group to stop for a while to rest… Then she would eliminate that stupid leaf! She knew her frustration on a leaf was… lame, but it was the only object right now she could vent it on. 1 week. 168 hours, it had been since she last saw Sesshoumaru… well in real life anyway, since she dreamt of him every night… well, back to the leaf. Kagome informed her friends she needed a moment to herself, and they respected that… specially after her little tantrum 3 hours earlier. She turned her attention towards the leaf and chased it down.<p>

Kagome stopped to catch her breath. She had run after the leaf for 20 minutes now! Her frustration was gone… Though now she replaced it with a thoroughly pissed emotion! What she hadn't known was the barrier she had entered when chasing the leaf. But a sniff with her nose told her what she needed to know, and Kagome started laughing hysterically. The leaf was a message from no other than her two favorite twin Lords! She could smell their strawberry and peach smells from her spot. Kagome ran after the leaf again and saw Yuko and Rai at a spring, soaking their feet

"Finally! I was beginning to wonder what took you so long" Yuko said smiling, while Rai dried off his feet and walked over towards her, giving her hug

"Yeah, because I didn't believe I was going crazy with a leaf flowing in front of me constantly, of course I knew it was you" she answered sarcastically, placing herself by Yuko's side

"We had no other opportunities" Yuko stated, still smiling

"Did you succeed?" Kagome asked worried, afraid they didn't get any of it, but most importantly her secret weapon! Yuko and Rai flashed her, their signature smiles while nodding

"Of course, it took a while, but we got it" Rai handed her the cloth bag with the items she needed. Kagome opened it and found the shard she had given Yuko earlier, along with two look-alike. The two fake jewel shards were what would make her plan complete. She couldn't help the devious smile that formed on her lips. Soon… Soon it would be over

"Did _you_ succeed?" they asked. Kagome hid the cloth bag in her clothes. And her smile just grew

"Yes" it was the only thing she needed to say for the two youkai to smile as devious as her

"So, the plan is coming along?" Kagome nodded

"And, it seems no one suspects anything… But I will need to act more careful from now on. Soon Sesshoumaru will join our group and that is what worries me the most. I have to put the act of a lifetime on, when we travel together" she said sad, sighing. Rai and Yuko looked at her

"How did you manage to get Sesshoumaru to join if he doesn't know about you?" Rai asked confused. Again Kagome smiled, but it was in memory of her morning

"Let's just say I have a little toad and girl to thank for that" Kagome said grinning. They had planned this morning after she had played with Rin. Oh… He would come…

"I need to get back, before they worry too much…" Kagome stated a little disappointed, she would have loved to talk to them more, but the time was wrong. Rai and Yuko gave her a hug

"Thank you so much for your help" Kagome thanked. They had been a big help. More than they knew

"We would have helped more if we could…" Yuko started

"…But just make sure to kick Naraku's ass and get back to Sesshoumaru, then we will take that as payment for our help" Rai finished smirking

"And when you succeed, don't be a stranger. Come and visit" Yuko added. Kagome blushed at Rai's statement. But she nodded, and hurried back towards her group.

* * *

><p>Kagome and her group stopped when she felt Koga coming their way. So they could as well take a break and wait for him. Kagome had just been given a mug of tea when the wolf finally came, bringing dust and earth particles with him. Kagome looked down at her tea mug… Yeah… dirt tea was not her favorite. She emptied the mug, by swinging it to the side. Before she got to do anything more, Koga had her hands in his<p>

"And how is my woman?" Kagome sighed mentally. She would be on her best behavior, so she plastered a smile on, and tried to not sound too annoyed

"I am fine Koga thanks" she answered brief. Again before she got to do anything else, Inu-Yasha had grabbed her and pushed her behind him

"You will not touch her you stinky wolf!" Inu-Yasha growled. Kagome rolled her eyes; they so not had the time for that. The sun was beginning to go down, and they needed to find a place to sleep

"Sit" Kagome said tired. Inu-Yasha went down, and Kagome walked over him, making sure to dig her heels down extra good

"We have tried to find you Koga…" Koga took her hands again

"So you could become my woman?" Kagome, felt like she had no energy at all at the moment, sighed for the 1000. Time today

"That would be Ayame. No, Koga. I need the shards. The final battle nears, and it would be best if they were in my hands when that goes down" Kagome stated, pulling her hands out of his. Koga looked disappointed, but did what she wanted anyway and handed her, his shards

"I am sorry. You really are a great youkai, but my heart is spoken for" Kagome said, smiling a bit sadly. Koga nodded sadly, probably believing Inu-Yasha was the holder of her heart. Oh… How wrong he was, but that was a discussion for another day… month… perhaps year?

Koga smiled a last time before a dust cloud formed, indicating his leave. Few minutes later he could no longer be seen.

* * *

><p>Night –<p>

Her group had finally found a good spot to camp. Kagome was lying down, hugging Shippou while he slept. The others were sleeping too, again she had been the slave driver Inu-Yasha loves to tease her with, now when he wasn't the victim. She was too tired, but her nightmares the last couple of nights prevented her to get any sleep. So why bother? It wasn't like she needed all the sleep she got anyway… she was youkai and had a hell lot more stamina, than she had when she was human. But the lack of sleep still affected her. You see, she was pretty sure she saw red eyes observing her from across the camp. Just red eyes, in the middle of nowhere in the air, flowing and looking at _her_. Not creepy at all… She kept staring at them, without blinking, and when she did, she almost regretted she did. The moment she had closed her eyes, a single second! And had opened them again the red eyes were no more than a meter from her! She closed her eyes and was about to scream surprised and horrified. She had seen horror movies like this, and the girl always die! Her scream never came. A hand was blocking it from any sound too come out. She then felt herself being pulled up and being taken away. Kagome opened her eyes and started to struggle, her powers nowhere in her thoughts

"_Stop it girl!"_ the creature hissed. Kagome went as stiff as a board in shock. That voice! She turned her head slowly, really slowly, not knowing if she wanted to look or not. Her eyes widen. It was the Bat Taiyoukai!

'_No freaking way? I thought this was my last mission!'_ her head kept making confusing thoughts, trying to figure out what that hag would want with her… again!

When they were a good way, away from her pack, the Bat Taiyoukai released her hold on Kagome. Kagome got to her feet, looking at her with fear

"What is it this time? Another mission? Another era I have to visit? I WONT DO IT!" Kagome yelled. Yes, she was grateful for the experience in the other era, but no more. Her emotional state couldn't take more at the moment. She would become insane and start a freaking murder spree all over Japan, BUT to go through any more of Time's bullshit was not on her current to do list and would never be so again if she had a say in it! The Bat Taiyoukai smiled knowingly

"No, you are doing what you should be doing" she answered a frustrated Kagome

"But I am here to warn you. Soon you will all fight the final battle against Naraku, but he has planned to trap all of you first. You need to know, that not everything is as it seems. You will have to keep that in mind" when Kagome was about to say something, the Bat stopped her with her hand

"And your other half will be there. You have to take her down before your plan starts, or she will ruin it" Kagome looked at the Bat Taiyoukai suspiciously, but contemplated her words. So Kikiyo would be there, and she could become a hindrance to her plan. Kagome narrowed her eyes at the Bat Taiyoukai

"And how do you know this?" Kagome asked suspiciously. Did she perhaps work for Naraku?

"How do I know any of the things I know. How did I know how the well works? How do I know of your path? How do any know anything?" She ended cryptically… Kagome looked at her

"You are a seer" Kagome more stated than asked. The Bat Taiyoukai smirked

"But, what would you gain by helping me?" Kagome asked. She wanted to know the Bat's intentions, so she wasn't helping an evil more evil than Naraku. You never know.

"My mistress asked me to help you" again a cryptic answer… her mistress… No way… there was no freaking way. Kagome remembered the writer of the poems. I.N.M. Why had she not connected the dots before?

"Inu no Mayako?" Kagome asked gasping. Could it really have been her Lady that had set it all into motion? The Bat Taiyoukai's smile widen, and Kagome knew she was right

"Why?" she simply asked. Why had Sesshoumaru's mother of all people manipulated with time?

"My vision of Sesshoumaru's death happened centuries ago. Milady wanted to know of how we could save him. I prayed for 4 days to the Kami, when they send me a vision… of you" the Bat Taiyoukai answered

"They told of a girl from the far future, travelling through time, that would help the world to rid it of an evil and she would be travelling with Sesshoumaru's brother… But for the girl to save Sesshoumaru, and save the Inu's from destruction of war with the east, Milady had to pay for it with a terrible price…" the Bat continued with a sad face. Kagome kept silent, listening intently

"Milady would not be able to bear more children, and when Inu no Tashio's second son was born, she would be banished to the sky castle" Kagome stood shocked

"You are kidding me right? They demanded that of her, for saving her son's life?" Kagome looked up towards the sky with disgust

"So, it was not just me they played with!" Kagome looked down again, feeling the tears flowing down her cheek

"Poor Mayako" she whispered. How she must have suffered. From trying anything in her power to save her only son, to then not being able to give her mate more heirs, and then watching her mate have a child with another, and then being banished to a freaking flowing castle. Kagome couldn't stop the tears

"How can the Kami's be so cruel?" Kagome asked broken. The Bat Taiyoukai placed both her hands on Kagome's shoulders

"Win this battle and there will be no telling what comes next. Not even I can see the future beyond that; it is still very much unclear… But for Milady, please heed my warning" The Bat stated with a serious face. Kagome dried away her tears with both hands, nodding while doing it

"Of course… I was going to do it anyway, but anything for Milady" Kagome answered through sobs. The Bat Taiyoukai smiled gently at her before taking a step back and flexed her wings open

"We will meet again someday Lady Kagome" then she bowed and in a blast of wind she had flown up and away. Kagome standing back looking after her. Kagome walked back towards camp. Her determination even stronger than before

'_Soon Naraku… Soon'_


	12. Hidden feelings

**Author's note:**

**Thank you all for the reviews! **

**Please enjoy and review!**

**Love**

**CayaC**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11 –<p>

It had been 4 days, since her meeting with Yuko, Rai, Jaken, Rin and the Bat Taiyoukai. She cursed, pissed that they hadn't found Naraku yet, or just had an idea of where he was hiding. Kagome held onto her backpack with extra ferocity. The items she needed for her plan, lying inside of it. She wondered when to start her preparations… It couldn't be too early, but it couldn't be when Sesshoumaru had joined their group either. Decisions, decisions… Because when she started the spell, there would be no turning back

"Kagome! Still nothing?" Inu-Yasha complained from the back of their group. Kagome sighed; it wasn't like she was an evil detector

"Nope. Still nothing" she answered irritated. He had asked that question for hours on end. Kagome then decided to make a decision as alpha of their pack

"You know what? What do you say about going back to Edo? Until we hear anything?" Kagome asked. They would need to get Shippou to safety before the final battle, and it was not like they could search for more shards. They had 11 shards in total, not including the two fakes

"No! We have to hunt down Naraku!" Inu-Yasha yelled protesting. Kagome stopped flat in her tracks. Slowly turning around, showing them all her anger, in just one look

"And I don't want that?! Is that what you are saying?" If anything, she was the most desperate at the moment to get this over and done with. Her nerves already had a hard time. She barely slept. All she could do was to think of their upcoming battle, her battle plans and preparations… Of course, her friends did not know of it or the reason she pushed them to the extreme._ Sesshoumaru_. Her heart, her longing for him was still painful, and only grew by the day.

"It seems like it! You give up after only 4 days!" Inu-Yasha continued, not caring for her angry look. Kagome slowly stepped towards him, and with every step her voice volume increased

"I am only saying this because; it seems I have to cut it in pieces for you to understand…" Kagome was all up in his face, their noses inches apart

"Shippou is too young…" she then started poking him on his chest with her finger

"We have no leads…" she continued, also continuing poking his chest, harder each time

"And what is the point of searching and trying to find someone who does not want to be found? Or can't be found?" Kagome then stopped her poking, looking him straight in his eyes

"Wouldn't it make more sense to either wait for a sign or them showing up?" Kagome then asked. Inu-Yasha throughout the whole ordeal, first appeared angry, but then it seemed he finally understood her words. He huffed

"Fine" he grumbled. Kagome nodded. Normally, she would have smiled in appreciation, but she just did not feel like it anymore…

'_Happy… what is that?'_ Kagome thought sarcastically. The only happiness she had these days was Shippou, and the thoughts of the final battle drawing near. Yes, it was weird being happy over a battle, but come on… her mission would then be over. Her struggles would then be over. No need to pretend or act anymore… Kagome sighed, and the group then turned their direction towards the village of Edo.

* * *

><p>It took them a week to finally reach Edo, and still nothing from Naraku. It would seem he too, was planning something. probably the trap the Bat Taiyoukai mentioned. Yeah, The Bat Taiyoukai… another secret in her file that was piling up. She had not mentioned it to any of her friends. It was not really relevant at the moment. Not to them at least. It only helped her in regards to her unanswered questions of her path and battle plan. From what the Bat Taiyoukai mentioned, she would have to defeat Kikiyo first, before doing anything else. But that could pose a problem. Just in case, she would stay close to Inu-Yasha on the battlefield. She could guess that Naraku would use her against Inu-Yasha, it wouldn't be a first.<p>

When Kagome entered the village, she went straight to Kaede's. She would have to ask another miko about the spell she was going to use on the Shikon shards, just in case something went wrong… Which it just plainly couldn't! No, shouldn't! Her entire plan relied on the spells she had to infuse in the shards… Kagome shook her entire body. She needed a break from planning… from missing a certain someone… She would need all the energy she could get to prepare her items.

When Kagome found Kaede, she was in the middle of sorting herbs

"Hello Kaede! Long time no see" Kagome, with Shippou at her heels, walked towards the old woman, and sat down next to her. Since she had to talk to Kaede first, without anyone present, she helped Kaede with the herbs.

"Hello child. What are ye doing here?" Kaede asked, continuing her work. Kagome looked around. Shippou had gone to find her friends, who were checking supplies, for when they needed to move quickly. Kagome then leaned in closer to Kaede's ear

"I need to talk to you in private" Kagome whispered. Kaede looked at her curiously, not having a single idea as to what the girl from the future would need her help in. Kaede then stopped the sorting and gestured Kagome to follow her inside her hut, which Kagome did. Then Kagome created a barrier big enough for the two, and then made sure that no one could hear their conversation. Kaede had just been looking curiously

"Now, what is troubling ye?" her crisp voice asked. Kagome looked her serious in the eye

"I need to know some things about the shards and if these spells can work on it…" Kagome then digged through her backpack and took the 2 fake jewel shards in her hands and showed them to Kaede

"These are fake, but I need them work as the real ones do in a way. I will keep 2 shards hidden, but have these two with the remaining shards, so when Naraku steals them and tries to merge the jewel to one, they would have to work… But how?" Kaede looked fascinated on the two fake shards, and nodded understanding her intention

"I believe it is possible. Ye will need to infuse some of ye own spiritual power into them, and maybe use a temporally binding spell…" Kaede stated, thinking. Kagome smiled, well that would be easy enough

"But I will also use a spell on a real shard. A shard that purifies the jewel and the spell has to work in a way so it can purify Naraku completely" Kagome stated… This was a point in her plan she was uncertain on how to carry out. Kaede nodded

"Ye can make the spell for the shard to purify the jewel, but ye or ye power should be in very close contact with it to get it to purify Naraku… I do not know of any other way…" Kaede answered, looking a bit worried… She seemed to get some of Kagome's plan

"Ye are not doing anything too risky, right my child?" Kaede asked uncertain. Kagome frowned. If she thought THAT was risky, then perhaps it was a good thing, Kaede didn't knew the entire plan

"Sometimes in life you need to take a risk. It could be the one thing to save everyone, or …" she didn't need to say the last part. She didn't even want to think like that. Again Kaede nodded, understanding her point. Kagome then broke the barrier and moved over and hugged Kaede

"Thank you so much… The others can't know" Kagome whispered. She felt Kaede nod. Good, she trusted Kaede. No more people could know of her plans. Kagome got up, she had to make her friends something to eat, and she would need all the energy that she could get, because tonight, the preparations would start!

Later that evening, Kagome informed her friends she needed some time to herself… It took a while, since she had to argue with Inu-Yasha first about it… But after 5 sits she went out, taking her backpack with her. She would need a spot where no one would be at this time of night… hmm… the forest was too risky… the same with the village… Kagome then had an idea. No one would look her there… Onigumo's cave. Not even Naraku would expect that of her. So Kagome hurried to the cave.

Not long after, Kagome entered the creepy cave and closed it off with her barrier. Again making sure no one would be able to listen in. She digged out the items she needed. First was one of the necklaces from Rai and Yuko. She concentrated on her power and the spell and fused it into the necklace. Moments after it was finished

'_This one is for Sango'_ then she moved to a bracelet, she had been given from Rai and Yuko too. She did the same as with Sango's necklace, and again in a moment it was finished too

'_This one is for Miroku'_ that were the easy protection spells. Now, she needed to do the hard part. Kagome got the remaining necklace, the inu's blood and two fake shards. It took a lot longer and a lot more power than the other two objects, but when she was done, she dried of the sweat that was dripping from her head. Then the protection spell only needed the last few words from the spell to be complete. She couldn't risk it being active already. The two fake shards was glowing pink like her normal shards, which reminded her… She pulled two shards up from her necklace and concentrated on her power again. She held the shards to her chest, and when she felt her powers ready, she pushed. She had to protect the two remaining shards, and how better to do that, than sending it in where it belong. In her body! She then took another shard up from her necklace and started the purification spell. It took a mere moment, and then she put the two fakes and the real shard back into her necklace with the rest. Kagome smirked

'_Oh, this is sooooo going to be good"_

* * *

><p>Kagome and her friends had been in Edo a couple of days. Her preparations were over, now she just needed one thing: For Sesshoumaru to make an appearance. She had worried that her plan with Jaken and Rin had gone wrong, but later that day she felt his familiar aura in their direction. Kagome had been pacing back and forth in Kaede's hut, nervous…<p>

'_Okay Kagome… You can do this! You were the best in your acting class… You can do it!' _it had almost become a mantra, when Inu-Yasha entered the hut

"Problems come on Kagome" Inu-Yasha was already out again. Kagome tried to control her breathing, but it was difficult. She could not meet him in her current state. She held the necklace she had enchanted, which hang around her neck. She played with it in her hands, while trying to calm her nerves. But her nerves was forgotten when sword fight was heard. She turned on her heels and ran towards the noise.

Outside of town, Miroku, Sango and Jaken were observing the brothers fight, while Rin and Shippou were in the opposite direction of the Inu's, playing. Kagome had to do everything in her power to keep her from smiling. He was finally here! Even though acting indifferent and like a friendly-ish ally towards Sesshoumaru would be hard, but rather acting, than not seeing him all together. Kagome went to stand next to Jaken, who bowed at her. Kagome offered a little smile in return

"So, what made them fight this time?" Kagome asked her friends. They almost jumped. They had been so wrapped up in the fight that they had totally missed, her standing beside them .Miroku cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment

"It is a matter of joining forces. Lord Sesshoumaru offered his assistance, but Inu-Yasha refused" Kagome looked disbelieving at him and Sango. Sango nodded confirming Miroku's statement. Kagome turned her head to Jaken, and he too nodded. Kagome sighed… big time… And then got REALLY mad. She walked up towards the fighting brothers, disregarding her friend's warnings. She kept walking until she stood practically next to Inu-Yasha

"And what do you think you are doing Inu-Yasha?" she asked dryly. Inu-Yasha, finally noticing her, grabbed her arm and tried to push her away

"He thinks he can join our group! Hell no!" Inu-Yasha yelled, still trying to push her out-of-the-way, but Kagome was persistent, so he would have to carry her away to even get the chance of removing her

"I think there is something you have misunderstood Inu-Yasha" Kagome said, smiling venomously. Inu-Yasha then turned and looked at her, with a questioning glance. Kagome then walked all the way up, again noses inches from each other

"And what is that" Inu-Yasha asked and gulped. Kagome smirked

"Who exactly is the alpha?" Kagome, totally forgetting the other inu at the moment, and that he actually could hear what she said. Inu-Yasha's ears went down

"You" he answered low, looking down on the ground, like a pup being reprimanded

"So, who makes the decisions?" Kagome asked calm. You could see Inu-Yasha was about to complain, but a single look from Kagome silenced him. He turned his face to the side and his cheek tilted up a bit, to show submission. THAT was when she suddenly remembered Sesshoumaru

'_Oh god! Not even 5 minutes in, and I am already making mistakes! FUCK'_ she mentally kicked herself over and over again. She dared not to look at Sesshoumaru, afraid he had found her out. She looked pleading at Jaken, even though he didn't know what was going on between them, he understood her signal as 'distract'. So Jaken did what Jaken does best, he groveled before Sesshoumaru's feet, praising him from left to right. It almost made her sick, but it was the distraction she needed. She grabbed Inu-Yasha by his sleeve and pulled him with her a good distance away

"What the fuck Kagome? What was all that about?" Inu-Yasha asked confused. Kagome hushed him

"Shut up you idiot, are you trying to make me blow my cover?" she hissed/whispered through her lips, sending him the darkest glare she had ever given him. Inu-Yasha shrunk a little

"Now, you go fix it! Tell him you will accept him offer. And that is final" Kagome whispered angry. Inu-Yasha was about to protest, but stopped. Her look told him he wouldn't live long if he didn't do as she said. So, Inu-Yasha walked back towards Sesshoumaru, grumbling. She needed to get away for now, so she wouldn't make another mistake… what could she occupy her time with? Hmm… she would need to look at some of the incarnations of the spell again… Latin wasn't her strongest topic

'_Why do spells have to be in freaking latin!'_ Kagome thought, but even that she could not do with Sesshoumaru close by… Oh, she could play with Rin and Shippou. The old Kagome did that all the time, so she plastered a smile on her face and ran down towards the playing kids, joining them.

* * *

><p>Finally! Sesshoumaru had caught a brief scent of Naraku, a couple of days after Sesshoumaru's arrival. (In those days she had avoided Sesshoumaru as much as possible, her cover needed to stay on as long as possible!)It had only been a <em>very<em> brief scent, and if the inu's hadn't been waiting for it, they might not have caught it. So, they were on their way towards the eastern lands, where the scent seemed to come from. Kagome played with the necklace, while her mind was distant… Looking from one Inu brother to the other and then back to Inu-Yasha. She would have to stay in her role! Sesshoumaru had the notion that she had a crush on Inu-Yasha, and she would have to play that part, if her cover wasn't going to be blown. She saw Sesshoumaru in the corner of her eye, keeping an eye on her. His gaze went up and down, and she wasn't entirely sure if he was giving her the elevator looks or if he was looking for something. Then she saw him, cut himself with his claw on his right hand, and then he looked towards her again. She noticed he was looking at her hand, which was playing with the necklace. Kagome almost stopped dead in her tracks in realization. He was testing her! He was testing if she was the Kagome he remembered from centuries ago, and he was checking to see if she had used a protection spell like the last time. Kagome paled.

'_He suspects'_ What could she do about it? She couldn't show him that she noticed his behavior… she couldn't do anything at this point… she was panicking inside of her head, while her face remained calm

'_Calm down Kagome. If it shows, then it is definitely over! Breath slowly in, breath slowly out'_ she kept that mantra for the remainder of the day in her head. She couldn't help it. She slowly and carefully turned her head a bit to look at Sesshoumaru, but her head turned back in a snap, blushing embarrassed. Sesshoumaru was still looking at her! She almost jumped 5 feet in the air when she heard his deep monotone voice

"Something the matter miko?" Kagome turned her head to look at him. He was looking at her intently, and that only made her blush deepen. His cold behavior gone, but it wasn't the warm Sesshoumaru she knew either. She had a hard time decrypting this Sesshoumaru. She turned her head to look forward again

"N…" she was about to say no, but… she almost forgot he was a walking, talking lie detector. She cleared her throat

"I am just a little tired" she simply answered. Looking around to see an escape among her friends, but they were all too busy, chatting among themselves. She cursed mentally. He needs to get back to the cold, non talking Sesshoumaru, so she could focus on her plan. They kept walking side by side together for a while. Kagome, almost sweat dropping the entire way. She looked around at her surroundings. It was late afternoon. Kagome stopped and then turned towards Sesshoumaru

"How about we stop and make camp for the day?" she asked Sesshoumaru, looking down at the ground, she still couldn't look him in the eyes.

"This Sesshoumaru will go hunting" Sesshoumaru then stated. Kagome looked up in surprise and smiled big

"Thank you Sess… Lord Sesshoumaru" she rambled while bowing. God! How awkward this was. When Kagome finally had the courage to look up… he was gone. Kagome let out the breath she had kept unknowingly. So she did was she always did when stressed. She went to work on the camp, to keep her mind occupied.

Kagome was clearing her tools, so she could work on the meat Sesshoumaru would hunt down, and just as the thought passed her head a dead deer was thrown down in front of her. Kagome gave a squeak and looked surprised up at Sesshoumaru. For a moment she swore she saw his eye change from gold to red and back, but that could have been her imagination

"Thank you" she accepted the deer, smiling. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but went over to a tree near her and sat down. Then Kagome started the long process of skinning the dead animal.

When done, and the meat ready, they all ate. Kagome had walked over to Sesshoumaru to hand him something first, since he had hunted it down for them. He nodded in acceptance. Kagome hurried back to the campfire to her share. Inu-Yasha had crept closer to her, and was now sitting _really_ close next to her. She practically felt Sesshoumaru's gaze, but Inu-Yasha seemed unnoticed by it

"Ne Kagome… Is there something between you and…" he pointed back, gesturing to Sesshoumaru

"…Wha… What do you mean?" Kagome asked, digging herself into the meat to hide her blush. Inu-Yasha scratched his head confused

"Well, you see, only Alpha's hunt for food, and then it is the Alpha female's job to take care of the offering food. Amongst youkai it is something that happens between two mates…" Kagome tensed shocked, and got the meat in the wrong pipe and started coughing roughly. She kept her eyes down. At the moment she had a hard time looking _anyone_ in the eyes. They would just have known her secret!

"And something else that has been kept bugging me… The last month he has come to fight more than usual. Now he is in our group, and not once has he mentioned Tetsaiga… It is a bit strange…" Inu-Yasha was looking weird at Sesshoumaru. Kagome however, was for the 3. Time that day, sweating… heavily…

'_What is he insinuating? That he feels for me? Still?'_ Kagome, suddenly couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips, a real genuine smile, that she hadn't smiled since she had been back

'_Then… there is still hope for a future with… him?'_ Kagome couldn't help herself… She needed to look, just once… So she turned her head to look at the stoic Lord. He had closed eyes, and seemed to be resting. But she knew better than that. He had done that a lot in the other era, and if anything, he was focused on the surrounding, or he really had something serious to think about. Now, _this_ Sesshoumaru in behavior, she recognized. Kagome ate her food up and helped Rin and Shippou cleaning the plates. Not long after, everyone went to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next day, went practically the same. They walked. Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome. Sesshoumaru went hunting. Returned and gave it to Kagome. But this time Kagome blushed when he did it, and gave him a small smile. She just couldn't help it. She was actually REALLY happy! Kagome shook her head. No! She needed to get her head straight… Naraku… Battle plan… Final battle… so she went back to serious Kagome.<p>

When they had all eaten, Kagome took Sango's hand and pulled her with her. When they had gone a pretty far distance away from camp, Sango stopped

"What is it Kagome?" she sounded worried. Kagome turned to look at her with a smile

"Nothing is wrong. I just remembered I had a gift to you and Miroku, but because of everything that has been going on… I just seemed too have forgotten about it…" Kagome hated to lie, especially towards her friends, but they would probably not have accepted it if they knew. Kagome took out the one necklace and bracelet she had prepared for them and handed them to Sango.

"Please take this, you never know. They might come in handy later" Kagome said cryptically, winking at her. Sango smiled big

"Oh my god Kagome! It is so beautiful! Thank you so much" Sango hugged Kagome tightly. Kagome had chosen to give it to her now, since she felt the big chunk of jewel shard now… And they were close.

"Remember to give that to Miroku, but you could always say it was from you… I don't mind" Kagome said teasingly, winking again at her. Sango blushed 3 shades of red. Kagome smirked

"Ano… Sango… What exactly are you blushing about? The thought of giving it to him, or…?" Kagome asked smiling. Yes, her smiling had finally returned! Sango again just blushed even deeper, punching Kagome lightly on her shoulder

"We should get back… You never know what is creeping around in the forest, this time of night" Kagome said giggling. Oh my god! And now she was giggling! She had forgotten how it felt to laugh!

'_Something is seriously wrong with me'_ Kagome thought a bit dryly. She locked arms with Sango and they went back to camp laughing together.

Kagome was sleeping with one eye open, like she had all the other days for the past 2 weeks! If not more… she had lost count. She was just enjoying the warm feel of her blanket in the cold air, when she felt a shift in the air in front of her face. She was about to open her eyes, when she suddenly felt a hand… with claws… gently stroking her hair, and before she could react to that, she was in a coma of shock. She felt light, silk lips carefully stroking her lips, and when she opened her eyes, just a tinny whinny bit, she saw Sesshoumaru's eyes, go from gold to red and back, flashing like that, and it didn't stop. He put just a little more pressure into the kiss, and when she felt herself about to return it, his touch was gone… In a flash… Kagome opened her eyes confused and sat up straight. She had known _those_ lips. It had definitely been Sesshoumaru! She looked around camp, but couldn't spot him. She closed her eyes for a second to search for his aura, and she found it she got up and tracked him down… as soundless as possible…

The sight that greeted her brought tears to her eyes. In the middle of a clearing, or now it was anyway, Sesshoumaru was standing, breathing heavily with broken trees all around him. But when he went to his knees and buried his face in his hands, she felt her heart broke. Now that she saw him in this state, because of _her_, she had a hard time justifying herself from keeping him away from her and the truth… She debated a long time with herself whether or not to just go and tell him now… but if she did… then all of her preparations… all of her effort and locked up pain… would have been for nothing… So before she changed her mind about running into his arms, confessing it all, she instead went back to camp, fighting hard to keep her sobs to a minimum, so he wouldn't hear her…


	13. Lost in the Mist

Chapter 12 –

It had been 2 days since that night. Kagome had faked sleep all night, waiting for him to return. He did… the next morning. Kagome had been waiting for him to discuss the matter of Rin and Shippou's safety. They would need to back to Edo, now when they were that close to Naraku. They had only allowed them to come this far because Sesshoumaru wouldn't let Rin out of his sight until they were sure it was Naraku, whom they were headed for. After a really awkward conversation that lasted 2 minutes tops, they had quickly come to an agreement. So the kids had been send off with Jaken on Ah-Un. For the rest of the day Sesshoumaru ignored the group. But it had mostly felt like he was avoiding her… She knew… He was hurt and lonely…

'_Soon'_ Kagome thought longingly.

Right at the moment they were walking. They had awoken early this morning of anticipation. Everyone knew they were close. Like old Kagome would, she talked and laughed with Sango to ease the tension in the group, but inside she was crying. She wanted to jump into Sesshoumaru's arms, tell him she loved him, that she was sorry and then have a nice cry. Kagome kicked herself mentally, refusing to give into the dark thoughts this close to battle

'_Come on Kagome, happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!'_ Kagome thought desperately, she began chewing her lip, thinking

'_Hmm… Oh I know! A cute little puppy, with soft little cute ears, and…'_ Kagome smiled a small smile then blushed a little

_-Kagome's fantasy -_

'_Sesshoumaru kissed her lightly on her lips. One of his hands, grasped onto her hair, while the other slid down to her waist, pulling her to his chest hard. She gasped in surprise and Sesshoumaru's tongue entered her mouth. Tasting her. He then kissed her jaw… and then further down to her neck. His hand on her waist, started to slide further down, gently and seductively touching her thigh, and…'crash_

End of fantasy -

"Kagome are you all right?" Kagome almost fell over her own feet from the shock of hearing Sango's voice through her thoughts. Kagome looked at her horrified, before quickly looking away, blushing 8 shades of red. Her new personal record!

"God Kagome, you seem to have a fever" Sango added, and held her hand to Kagome's forehead. Kagome tried to brush it of

"I'm alright… I am just tired, that's all" Lie!

"I finally got some sleep last night, so it would seem my body has just caught up to my fatigue…" Big fat lie! She was youkai; she didn't need that much sleep! And she was freaking tired of lying! So tired… It broke her that she had to hurt Sesshoumaru, it broke her that she had to lie to her loved ones… But she needed to beat Naraku in this game of minds and trickeries

"You know I have had problems with sleep the last couple of days" Truth and lie! It had been weeks since she had slept! And it was a problem… at least that part was true, Kagome grumbled mentally

"I just need to wear some warmer clothes and drink a lot of fluid while we travel, trust me, I will be fine" Kagome ensured. It had been, somewhat, the truth… If she had been human… and had a fever… She was just dying of embarrassment from being, practically caught having a naughty fantasy with Sesshoumaru in it, by Sango. Before Sango got to answer that, Kagome felt herself being wrapped with something very soft, and then lifted up by a couple of arms, and then pressed against a chest. Kagome look up confused and got all red in the head. The others would believe it was from anger, but truly it was because she was being pressed against _Sesshoumaru_! Her heart speeded fast and millions of thoughts flew through her head fast

"Wha… Um… What are you doing Lord Sesshoumaru" Kagome stammered, still blushing hard

"Sleep miko. We would not want you to drop on the battlefield, just because you could not take care of your body" Sesshoumaru stated, looking her deep in her eyes. Kagome could only nod slowly, and then she closed her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder.

'_I can't believe I am in Sesshoumaru's arms! What to do, I can't just sleep on him! What if I say something in my sleep?!'_ Kagome panicked mentally. But her other side had something to say too

'_He offered… Just enjoy… The battle is coming, and no one knows what will happen'_ with that thought in mind, Kagome relaxed in his arms. He felt so warm. And before she knew it… she had fallen asleep for the first time in several weeks.

Kagome sighed.

* * *

><p>'<em>No! I want to sleep some more!'<em> She didn't know what it was, it felt familiar, calling her but she didn't know how. Kagome opened her eyes. Her friends had made camp, and they were all asleep. She was a little disappointed that she was no longer in Sesshoumaru's arms, but that was not the pressing matter at the moment. The entire clearing, forest… everything were enveloped in thick mist. She couldn't even see the sky, so she didn't know what time of day it was. Kagome rose from her bedding. Grapping her bow and arrows, since she couldn't afford using any of her youkai or elemental power yet. She didn't feel the _call_ anymore, but this _mist_, seemed off… Naraku off…

"Guys, it is time to wake up now" she said high enough for them all to hear her. She had her bow ready with an arrow, looking around for anyone in the mist, while she heard her friends ruffle movements. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to see them

"What the hell! Kagome what is this?!" She heard Inu-Yasha, back to her left

"A trap" Kagome was sure. This mist was not natural, but why a plain thick mist and not a miasma mist?

"A trap?! Shit! Kagome can you feel him anywhere?" Inu-Yasha asked. For some reason he sounded like he was a bit further away from her this time

"No… I…" Kagome stopped speaking when she turned her head towards where she had heard Inu-Yasha, only to see mist. Kagome took a couple of steps forward, but she couldn't even see his red haori

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome called, beginning to walk forward, trying to figure out where he had gone. When she got no answer, she became… concerned

"Inu-Yasha!? Sango!? Miroku?!" Kagome called desperately. She started to run, trying to find… anyone at this point. She had tried to use her power to locate them, but something or some_one_ was blocking her senses

"Sesshoumaru!" she finally called, even more desperate. She kept running. Her heart beating fast

'_Where are they?'_ Kagome was starting to panic, when she stumbled over a small tree branch on the forest floor. She fell hard, and she hissed in pain. Kagome rubbed her ankle. She had twisted it… badly. Kagome bit her lip to stop her from screaming, and then she took a good grip on her foot, and when she was about to put back in place, she heard a sound. Kagome slowly turned her head. Not knowing what or who had found her. She gasped

"Sesshoumaru…"

* * *

><p>Sango –<p>

Sango looked around confused. Her hand on her boomerang, ready to fight if necessary. One moment she had heard Kagome's voice, and when she woke up to the mist, Kagome and the others were already out of sight. She had called and searched for them for a while, but nothing. She couldn't hear anyone or anything. No people going through woods, or animals moving in the trees. It was difficult to see anything in front of her, since the mist was very thick. She looked around panicking

'_Where is everyone?'_ she wondered concerned. What if any of them was hurt? Is it really Naraku's trap? Then what is his game? Sango then heard movement to her side, and she quickly turned around, ready to throw her weapon, but she stopped her movements when she saw the one who was coming towards her slow

"Miroku?"

* * *

><p>Miroku –<p>

Miroku was sitting down. Contemplating what to do next. He could not walk around in the mist and risk danger. He knew that some of the others would find a way out of this mist. Miroku inspected it clearly. It was not a natural mist. Kagome might have been right in assuming this was Naraku's handiwork. He closed his eyes, trying to see if he could sense anything in this mist since his sight and sound had been blocked off. Miroku frowned. He had no luck. This mist had an evil sense to it, but he could not gather anything other than that. So he would try to figure out which of Naraku's minions could posses this power, or a similar one that might have been manipulated… he got interrupted by a sound in front of him, so he opened his eyes, and smiled big, letting out a sigh

"Sango…"

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru –<p>

He was pissed. He had let Kagome get out of his sight, and he had no way of tracking her. All of his senses had been blocked, so he could only wander aimlessly around in the mist, trying to find the culprit… or Kagome… the latter he leaned most too. He growled irritated. Naraku. He was a pest. Not even a full youkai, and yet he had brought more blood and destruction than any other he knew. He had to hurry. He needed to know if she was safe. Sesshoumaru made his demon cloud and flew upward. He stopped when he banged into an unseen barrier

'_So, the vermin has trapped us in a barrier'_ Sesshoumaru thought with disgust. He descended to the ground again, growling. He had to find another way out of this god forsaken mist. He looked around to make a decision of where to go when he flashed his head back to the object of his attention. His heart started speeding, and he felt his shoulders fall, relaxing at the sight. He was so relived that he did not notice his slip

"Kagome…"

* * *

><p>Inu-Yasha –<p>

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha yelled. Running around in different directions, trying to find Kagome. He couldn't let her get hurt. She had already been so through much, and she had been broken when she had returned to them. And that way she had been staying… until Sesshoumaru. The moment he traveled with their group, she had _changed_. More and more of the old Kagome had begun to return. And all thanks to Sesshoumaru… His psychopath, murderous half-brother, full youkai. Inu-Yasha growled. He had a hard time believing it, but he also knew that, there were more between them than she had claimed. He had respected she wanted it being a secret, and he knew why. Because of Naraku. She did not want to experience the same pain he and his Kikiyo had gone through. He couldn't blame her that. Inu-Yasha stopped up and pulled the Tetsaiga from its sheath, he would try to attack the sky to get a clearer view, so he swung it back and then…

"Crack" he heard someone step on a branch. He looked around and lowered his sword in shock, confused

"Kikiyo?..."

* * *

><p>Sango –<p>

"Miroku! Are you alright? Where are the others?" Sango asked him as he kept coming closer, very slowing with down cast eyes. Sango looked at him a little curious, walking slowly closer to him

"Miroku?" she called again. Quickly she ducked to the side and rolled a bit away, and then in a crouch she watched him. He had tried to hit her!

"Miroku! What are you doing!?" Sango yelled at him, very confused. She tightened her grip on her boomerang. Miroku then ran to her, fist ready. Sango avoided the hand just in time so she could grab on to his arm and swing him over her shoulder. Then she sat on top of him holding a small knife to his throat, but not hard

"What the fuck Miroku!? Why are you attacking me?!" Sango yelled desperate, sounding a little too much like Inu-Yasha… he had been a bad influence. Miroku looked at her with clouded eyes and a sick sadistic smile; she had only seen Naraku wear. Before she realized what, or what not was in front of her, she saw him pull a dagger and tried to stab her. But what 'Miroku' didn't see coming was the barrier that protected Sango from the blades impact. Both Sango and 'Miroku' looked surprised at were the stab wound should have been. Sango then looked at 'Miroku' who was still staring at her stomach with no wound. In one quick movement she had grabbed his right hand, and in a strange twist of faith, maybe because of her love for him, she ripped of the prayer beans and pushed aside the cloth. Nothing. Not even a hole, a scar. Nothing. When 'Miroku' started struggling beneath her, she made a quick decision and in a flash, stabbed him in the heart. She watched as 'Miroku' flashed back and forth from Miroku's appearance to a dead corpse. Sango narrowed her eyes

"Kagura" Sango hissed. She was the only one they knew, who could control the dead, and perhaps… just perhaps, she had a new power in store and they were trapped in it! Sango got to her feet, the body before her turning slowly to ash. Sango grabbed the necklace around her neck. She knew that barrier. She had felt the power of the barrier before. And she knew _she_ had planned something, but with this proof, she couldn't help but wonder… Is this protection was _her_ plan, or had _she_ planned more

'_Kagome'_

* * *

><p>Miroku –<p>

"Sango! Oh am I happy to see you" Miroku ran over to her and hugged her from the side

"Have you seen any of the others or a way out, because I would only be lost if I started venturing around" he said smiling and scratching the back of his head. He didn't really notice the difference in Sango; at the moment he was just happy that he wasn't alone. Not being able to know ones whereabouts, and not hear anything… and being alone gave it all in unpleasant feeling

"So my dear Sango, what do you think Naraku's goal is? To keep us trapped in here until he gets the jewel shards from Kagome?" he both asked Sango, but also himself. This mist would have been a perfect way to eliminate them all, but so far, no one had traced him down, and he was just lucky that Sango found… him. That was when he realized Sango's odd behavior, and too late to avoid the fist that collided with his stomach, then her knee with his nose. Miroku gasped in pain, but weirdly enough, he felt like he was being healed right away too. Miroku ducked and rolled to avoid a kick. Miroku looked up to see a 'Sango' with clouded eyes and she was smiling wickedly, just like Naraku

'_That is what I get for not paying attention'_ he thought dryly and got up into defense position and held tightly onto his staff

'_This is either Sango or this is a puppet of a sort'_ Miroku had to find a way to see if it was Sango or not. Miroku then remembered something and looked at her neck. No necklace. Sango had given him a bracelet from Kagome as a gift, and she herself had been given a necklace. That meant

'_This thing is not Sango'_ With his mind resolved he, in one quick move, ran towards her with his staff in his hand ready to either defend or strike, and in his left hand he hid a sūtra. 'Sango' jumped high in the air to avoid the swinging staff, and she twisted backwards in the air, unsheathing her sword in the process. The minute her toes touched ground, she swung around, dashing towards him, sword pointed his way. Miroku sidestepped in time, but then he felt pressure at his stomach region and a sensation of power. He looked down to see a knife in her hand, being pressed against his stomach, but the knife was stopped by a barrier. Miroku took advantage of her surprise and tapped the sūtra on her. She stood frozen unable to move. Then he said a quick prayer, and 'Sango' started burning blue before turning to ashes. Miroku looked down at his bracelet. _She_ had been unlike herself since _she_ came back. _She_ had secret. He knew, but now he knew that _she_ had planned something _more_. What in particular, he could not know, but he worried for _her_. But he also knew, he had to talk to _her_ about it later, about _her_ reasons, when the battle was over. If _she_ had a plan that could eliminate the enemy, get the jewel, and them going home safe and sound, then he would act as if he didn't know a thing, not that he did, but now he knew something was going on. Miroku sat down, waiting for something to happened, and while he did that, he thoughts kept returning to one specific brave woman

'_Kagome…'_

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru –<p>

When he finally realized what he had said, he just brushed it off. There was no point in dwelling on a small mistake. He began walking towards her. Observing her. Something was off. She did not seem like herself

"Are you injured miko?" he asked with his monotone voice, eyeing her carefully. It angered him that he was unable to use his senses, not that it would have done him any good anyway. The minx had kept her aura and scent hidden in a while now. Ever since she came back. He had waited for so long for _his_ Kagome to return. He had been certain that it was her this time, but she did not seek him out. She did not initiate anything when it came to him. He was confused. Had that damned Bat Taiyoukai done anything to her that day? Not sending her back to this era but her own or another? Had her memory been affected? Sesshoumaru shook his head. He had thought of these things many times now, and he could not find the answers he needed like this. He was still waiting for her answer, but she never gave him one

'_Odd'_ She would always answer him, always being polite, even towards him. He walked a little closer

"Miko, this Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself" still nothing. She did not even move a muscle. When he got close enough he saw that glazed over look in her eyes. When she struck out at him with a small blade he moved in a flash behind her, decapitating her with his poison whip

'_Pathetic. If Naraku believes this one would fall for childish tricks such as this, then he would be sadly mistaken'_ Sesshoumaru growled mentally. It had been a low blow, and how Naraku had come to know about his connection with _her_, he did not know. He sneered and turned around, walking determined to find _her_

'_Kagome…'_

* * *

><p>Inu-Yasha –<p>

Inu-Yasha stared in disbelief on Kikiyo. What was she doing here? How was she here? So many questions went through his mind. Watching as Kikiyo slowly walked up towards him

"Inu-Yasha" he heard her say. Inu-Yasha took a step forward, a hand slightly outstretched out to her

"How?... What…" Kikiyo hurried to him, placing a finger on his lips. Inu-Yasha blushed deeply and watched curiously at her

"No how's or what's Inu-Yasha. All that matters is… Do you love me?" Kikiyo asked. Inu-Yasha's eyes widen in surprise. He grabbed her hand, removing her finger from his lip in the process. Inu-Yasha looked at her sadly

"Kikiyo, you know I will always love you, but you are dead. Kagome and my friends helped me to come to terms with that a long time ago. I will always love the person you were… But I cannot love you as the person you have become…" Inu-Yasha took her hands, looking her in her eyes, showing her that he was serious

"You do not belong he…"

"So you will not keep your promise to go to hell with me?" Kikiyo asked her face down, so he could not see her expression. Inu-Yasha took a step backward

"If I am meant to go to hell when I die, then fine! But I have a bastard hanyou to kill, so it would have to wait" Inu-Yasha said the last part out sarcastically and smirked. But his smirk vanished when he heard her sneer in anger taking out a dagger, infused with spirituality power into it. She went to stab him when a crack was heard. He looked down in disbelief and saw a claw that had forced itself through Kikiyo's chest. Kikiyo looked at Inu-Yasha, shock and surprise portrayed on her face. She took in a breath of air in a gasp, and then she began to crumble. A strange blow of air, blew Kikiyo's corpse in to ash, and then he looked at the owner of the claw, shocked

'_Kagome…'_

* * *

><p>Back to Kagome for good –<p>

Kagome quickly snapped her ankle back and hissed at the pain, tasting blood in her mouth, from accidentally biting her tongue a bit. She then allowed her miko powers to heal her ankle and got up quickly. She bowed at Sesshoumaru and then looked at him. Something was off. Her instinct screamed, something wasn't right, and her instincts had kept her alive till today. He began to walk towards her again, and Kagome looked at him warily

"Thank you for yesterday, I hope I was not much of a bother" Kagome said respectfully. What was wrong with this picture, she wondered. It didn't take her long to figure out what.

'_Really Naraku?'_ 'Sesshoumaru's' eyes were dull and non-living like. She had seen this on the corpses Kagura had left behind, and they buried the bodies. Kagome thought of a spell she read in one of Tashio's books, a prayer in a funeral ritual. She concentrated on her power and her words

"**Accendo adeleo. Adeleo adfor. Accendo adeleo. Adeleo ad..**" and she continued with the spell until 'Sesshoumaru' was on fire, burning quickly to ash. Kagome looked at it angry. Naraku! How low! Kagome was stopped from her mental cursing Naraku, when she felted that _call_ again. Kagome turned around and walked towards the pull

After a while Kagome heard talking

'_Yes! Finally someone!'_ Kagome stopped shocked when she heard a voice she had not expected, but it had explained the call and pull she felt

"… promise to go to hell with me?" she heard Kikiyo say. Kikiyo! Her other half, had been calling her here. She could not sense a thing in this mist, but she could sense for other half of her soul! Kagome growled mentally in anger. So, Naraku had planned on using Kikiyo on Inu-Yasha!

"If I am meant to go to hell when I die, then fine! But I have a bastard hanyou to kill, so it would have to wait" she heard him say. Kagome undid her appearance spell around her hand, so her claws was out. She watched how Kikiyo was about to stab Inu-Yasha and she, in a flash had smashed her clawed hand through Kikiyo's back and chest. She allowed some air to blow up, just enough for Kikiyo to blow into ashes, and away. Kagome was then embraced in a blue light. Her soul. It merged back, into her body. She felt whole again. Kagome put the spell back on her hand, and looked a little guilty at Inu-Yasha

"I am sorry… But it needed to be done" Kagome whispered. Afraid of Inu-Yasha's reaction. He stood with tears in his eyes, but he kept nodding, showing her he understood, but it still broke him. Kagome gave him a big and long reassuring hug

"What do you say about getting out of this mist?" Kagome asked gently. Inu-Yasha pulled out from her hug and looked at her confused

"I will have to use my elemental power, the moment the mist is gone, hunt down Kagura. Kanna might be there too. It could be a combo attack" Kagome stated, taking a few steps back. She closed her eyes, held up her arms before her and started to dance. Her arms, gracefully flowing around her, like she was a winged creäture, dancing in the air. The mist started to move, and when Kagome started to twirl, the mist twirled with her. She raised her hands over her head, sending all the mist upwards. She felt a barrier blocking the mist from getting out. Kagome narrowed her eyes. She had to get them out of this mist!

"Inu-Yasha! Use the Wind scar and I will combine it with an air attack" just as she had said it, she heard him swing back the sword. When she heard the shift in his food stance, she too got into position

"Wind scar!" Inu-Yasha yelled, sending the massive wave of power towards the barrier. Kagome pulled her hands back and then struck them forward in a hard movement, the air following her movement and the force collided with the barrier, at the same time as the Wind scar hit. Kagome looked up to see it clear down, and when it finally cleared, she looked horrified of what was in front of her, barely 2 football fields from them. Naraku. With an army of thousands of lowlife demons. She heard Inu-Yasha jump away and she followed him with her eyes. He had spotted Kagura and Kanna, and went to attack them. To her surprise, not that long away as she thought they would have been, stood Miroku, barely 10 meters from him stood Sango, and a pool length away stood Sesshoumaru. They were all unharmed

'_Thank Kami'_ Kagome prayed. Then she turned her attention towards their problem. The one that had been a pest, a monster and a psychopath the last 5½ years, hunting them down like prey. She locked eyes with him and saw him smirk big. Kagome growled

'_Naraku'_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**And then the final battle begins! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!**

**Kagome's spell: I roughly translated from English to Latin**

**Latin: Accendo adeleo, Adeleo adfor**

**English: Fire burn, Burn the dead**

**Look forward to the next chapter: The Final Battle begins**

**Love**

**CayaC**


	14. The Final battle of the Old and New

Chapter 13 –

Kagome growled in irritation at the sight. She might have miscalculated the enemy by a couple of thousands! She would have guessed he had found a new playmate or made a new minion like Kagura and Kanna, but this… was bad… even with the legendary swords. Kagome picked up her bow and arrow and notched it, readying herself for battle. She heard her friends doing the same, by the sound of their weapons. Naraku smiled wickedly down at them from his miasma cloud

"Kukuku… Well done. I wouldn't expect any less from this group, but I must say the hero of the moment came as a surprise…" he smiled venomously at Kagome

"You, my dear priestess have surprised me beyond belief today… You have been a naughty girl keeping secrets like that _Kagome_" he then said with the biggest grin on his face. Kagome paled a bit, while still trying to keep her mask intact. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about you filthy bastard! But today you are going down!" she heard Inu-Yasha scream, she turned and saw he had already finished the two other burdens, one pulverized and one down unconscious, then she saw Inu-Yasha rush into battle with his sword high over his head, screaming from the top of his lungs

"Wind scar!" A big and massive wave of raw power, bigger than she had ever seen it before, smashed through the scene, taking more than a hundred down in that one swing. That one swing had also been what had set it all in motion. They all started fighting. Sango held herself good, and even if she would have been injured, she wasn't thanks to Kagome's protection spell. It was the same with Miroku, and thankfully he used the Wind tunnel, since he had realized that the whasps didn't get in with the lowlife youkai's, thanks to Kagome's spell. Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru fought as they usually fought, thankfully still not hurt. She couldn't risk it yet, she couldn't risk exposure yet.

Kagome had a small barrier around her, shooting arrow after arrow, taking out 10-15ish lowly youkai's in one single shot. She had to find a way for Naraku to get the jewel shards. But her attention was stopped in shock when she felt an aura coming closer to Naraku, one that she thought she would never have to feel again. Kagome, slowly began turning towards Naraku, still with her mask on, though it was hard, and it almost fell when she looked in total disbelief at the newcomer emerging

'_No way… I was only joking all those times… This just cannot happen!'_ Next to Naraku stood Lord Kyo. Yes, Lord Kyo, who DIED, from the other era? Who was supposed to have been dead for 550 years? Kagome took a closer look. He had been revived like the band of seven! And he had around 10 shards in his neck, from where Tashio had decapitated his head. Now it was clear why they were in the east! He had found Lord Kyo's grave!

'_But why? He can't possibly have known about me and Sesshoumaru? How did he come to know of Lord Kyo?'_ She was in shock inside, but she turned and stole a quick glance at Sesshoumaru who was standing far away, but he was also looking shocked, then angry at Lord Kyo. She could hear his growl from where she was

"Hello pup. I was told it has been a while, and this time I will be the one to separate your skull from your neck!" Lord Kyo hissed in anger to Sesshoumaru

"What is this blasphemy?!" she heard Sesshoumaru growl out, looking in disgust and disbelief.

"Oh, I had heard the whispers of the great enemy of the West. He single-handedly stood up against both the mighty Lord Inu no Tashio and his great son Lord Sesshoumaru. I thought the two of you could have a great reunion and help me out at the same time" Naraku answered while smirking big

"He has jewel shards in his neck! He was revived like the band of seven!" Kagome exclaimed to the group so they knew where to hurt him, and! To give the explanation Sesshoumaru seemed to need. Lord Kyo turned his gaze from Sesshoumaru to Kagome. He got a pissed of expression on his face

"YOU!" Kagome took a step backwards unconsciously, but had put a surprised look on her face to hide her rising fear. They would need to kill him… fast… otherwise her plan could go a-wire. Lord Kyo glared at Kagome before returning his gaze to Sesshoumaru

"I see you are still with the miko _Lord _Sesshoumaru" he said with disgust and drew his weapon

"I will make sure to kill the bitch before you close your eyes for good pup!" He then spat and rushed towards Sesshoumaru. Kagome went back to her own fight(s). She notched an arrow and kept getting rid of the lowlife youkai's, but still kept an eye of for actual danger, like Naraku. Fortunately, he was currently occupied with Inu-Yasha and his mighty sword. Kagome's hand went to grab another arrow when she only met air. No more arrows. Well, she could see no harm in using her spirituality to form an arrow. She had done it before, and right now she just had to fight these _things_ off until Sesshoumaru had killed Lord Kyo and when Naraku had taken her shards. She kept shooting her arrows, taking out a lot more lowlifes than her normal arrows

"Kagome!" Kagome stood frozen, shocked when she heard Sesshoumaru call her name. She knew he would only do that at a time like this, if her life was in danger. And when HE called _her_ name, then her situation was bad. She had only turned in time to see Lord Kyo crash through her barrier with an enormous power (he had help from over 10 jewel shards!), claws out with poison, ready to strike. Kagome jumped to the side trying to avoid his claws, but he got her on the side of her waist. Kagome gasped in pain, and held a hand over the wound. She looked up to see Sesshoumaru standing before her in a flash, his back to her

"So, what happened to her pup? Why is she human again?" Lord Kyo taunted. He of course had not known where she had been from, so he did not understand the situation. Kagome slowly got up on her feet, creating another barrier around her. She could feel the poison in her system, working slowly to take effect, but she needed to be done with her task before she could succumb to it. Sesshoumaru went on to battle Lord Kyo, fighting him with his Tokijin with great ferocity and his power swirled around him furiously. Kagome, slowly due to her injury, and because her powers couldn't heal her from the poison (The same poison as his daughter) She needed to get out of Lord Kyo's range, whom she heard hiss in anger and then scream in rage. She looked for her bow, but saw it destroyed some feet away by the lowlife youkai's. Kagome was about to make her spirituality bow and arrow when she heard Sesshoumaru's familiar

"Dragon's strike" she turned just in time to see a surprised Lord Kyo before he was hit by the force. Kagome slowly walked towards his body, knowing he was dead since his heart did no longer beat, but she would have to hurry. The shards in his neck could change that. She knelt beside his head, lifting it up. She then placed a hand on his neck, purifying the shards. She took one of the Lords daggers and slashed his neck open, retrieving the shards and putting them inside her necklace with the rest. Kagome lid up in a small smile. His was dead. Again

'_Thank Kami'_ she got to think, before she got surprised by her barrier being destroyed in a second and the pressure she felt, that erupted from her back through her chest. Kagome gasped in pain, and looked down to see what had just transpired. A tentacle had pierced through her chest and grabbed onto her necklace with her jewel shards

'_This was not the way I expected to give them to him'_ she thought, a little disoriented. Her thoughts were starting to get cloudy, and her vision like she was under water

"Kagome!" she heard the screams around her. She gasped in pain again when the tentacle retracted itself, going back to its master with its price. Kagome fell to her knees. Watching how the two Inu brothers and two human friends frantically tried to get rid of Naraku and retrieve the shards before it was too late, even though she _wanted_ Naraku to have the jewels, or her plan wouldn't work.

"Oh I am so sorry, but she was no longer needed… Not when I finally have this… Kukuku…" Naraku held up the necklace with the jewel shards, pulled them out and laid them on his hand, putting his own down on it too, while he was keeping her friends distracted with his tentacles and lowlife army. Kagome coughed some blood up, having trouble staying on her knees… Even conscience, but she was waiting for the crucial moment… Naraku then fused the jewel back together in his hand, and when he opened his hand again, there was the jewel, whole and all black. He started laughing evilly, believing he had finally won, when he in fact had lost without knowing it. He then pushed it inside his body with his power, and that was her cue. Kagome asked the air to help cloak her, and she felt the air's power going through her veins, and in a second she could no longer be seen, not that any was looking at the moment anyway, they were too busy. She then dropped her appearance cloak, since there was no longer any point in having it up after this, and it was just waste of energy. Kagome then looked up and saw Sesshoumaru in trouble, surrounded by several tentacles. Kagome hold in a breath to keep herself from screaming, and closed her eyes when she stood up, gathered her power, activating the blood protection spell

"**Ligo Cognatus ab Dominium, Praesidium Cognatus, Vascellum Accepts!**_**"**_ she felt the spell activating, and she opened her eyes just in time to see Sesshoumaru getting impaled by multiple tentacles. Naraku screamed in agony, and Sesshoumaru's eyes widen in realization and looked around the battlefield, which she presumed was for her, but because of her cloak he couldn't. Kagome then grabbed her enchanted necklace and crushed it in her hands, restoring all of the power she had kept sending into it since she made the spell. Kagome felt a rush of power travel through her body, and slowly her chest wound started to heal.

Yes, she had put the blood protection spell on the two fake jewel shards, one with each of the Inu brothers blood merged with it by her power, so it had been Naraku that got the blows from his own tentacles, not her… She had learned from that experience. The necklace she had used just now, she had used to keep storing her own power, small amounts each day… hour… okay second, which was also one of the reasons she had been so tired lately! And now that immense amount of stored power flowed through her. She had never felt this powerful before, despite her wounds and the poison that was still trying to weaken her body and then kill her. Naraku's scream set her into motion

"What is this?! Why am I the one being wounded when it should be you!?" she saw him looking frantic around

"Where is she? It must have been her!" Kagome ran with youkai speed up towards Naraku, avoiding every lowlife youkai on the way, since she didn't want to give her location away, and she knew her friends were safe for the moment. She ran straight up to him and threw a hard blow filled up with massive purification energy into his chest, and said the last incantation to finish him off, activating the purification spell, that would affect the entire jewel and help the spell with powering it

"**Expurgo Malefactoris"** Kagome retracted her hand, dropping her cloak and dropped to her knees from exhaustion. The poison had taken a big toll on her. She watched as Naraku screamed in pain from being purified inside out, and when Kagome hit the ground, no longer having the strength to keep herself up, Naraku exploded into a dust of pink glitter. The jewel landing where he had been standing before, al purified. Kagome closed her eyes and coughed, then hissed in pain. She heard her friends call for her, and then felt hands lifting her up and pulled her into a warm chest. She opened her eyes weakly and smiled sadly at Sesshoumaru who was looking down at her worried and confused

"I…" Kagome gulped some blood up, coughing the rest up

"I am so… sorry my love" Kagome whispered, tears travelling down her cheeks. It was all she could say at the moment because of the pain; the poison was affecting her

"Tell this Sesshoumaru what to do, and he will do it… for you…" Kagome raised her hand slow and cupped his face. Taking in everything that he was showing her. Concern. Confusion. Longing. Love…

"I need… your poison… Sesshoumaru…" she whispered through pained breaths, blood running down her lips. The poison had been too long inside of her, she could only hope his poison would be strong enough to beat it. Sesshoumaru's eyes widen when he realized what she was saying, and searched for her wound with a sniff from his nose. He found it at her waist, and he looked at it disgusted. He moved his hand to her wound and looked her serious in her eyes

"Do not dare to die on me Kagome" he said, holding her head gently with his other hand. Kagome smiled a little reassuring smile at him, which disappeared and was replaced with an open mouth that screamed in pain and agony, from Sesshoumaru injecting his poison, but that pain was nothing to the one that started when his poison began attacking the one that attacked her body. Kagome kept screaming, feeling Sesshoumaru hold onto her tight, and when she couldn't take anymore she fainted.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**I am sorry for the wait and the short chapter. Used the most of the day trying to come up with something great from Naraku's side in this battle… Hope it was a nice little detail to bring in… Anyway, I will try to write the next chapter as soon as possible! Thank you all, for all of your wonderful reviews, they make me so happy when writing this story : )**

**The Latin incantations, roughly translated from English to Latin:**

**Ligo Cognatus ab Dominium, Praesidium Cognatus, Vascellum Accepto**

**Protect the blood, the vessel accepts**

**Expurgo Malefactoris**

**Purify the evil**

**Hoped you enjoyed and please review**

**Love**

**CayaC**


	15. Down memory lane

Chapter 14 –

Limbo –

She walked slowly, looking at her surroundings. She didn't know how she got there… Why she was there… and the longer she walked around, everything seemed to become more unclear. Her memories. Her identity. She kept walking and looking around, to find something, or someone to help her in this strange situation. When she saw a dark purple cloth move a little further up ahead, she started running towards it and not long after she exited the forest, she entered a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a blanket, on that blanket two tea cups and a tea kettle. Next to the items was a stunning young woman. The purple cloth had been her simple kimono, held together with a pink obi. Her hair flowed down her back, the color as white as snow. Her skin too, seemed white in contrast to her dark purple kimono. She had _really_ red blood-colored lips, though her upper lip seemed darker than her lower. She had smooth skin, a perfect straight nose, but the most stunning was her eyes. Amazing light blue eyes. She did not know how to describe them… They seemed like they were shinning, and her dark purple eye powder only enhanced the effect. She walked slowly closer, uncertain on how to approach

"Excuse me, but could you tell where I am?" She asked uncertain, eyeing the stranger carefully. But then she suddenly looked back to where she had just been coming from… Something… seemed to call for her and not only that… Her brain kept telling her, that she was _missing_ something. Before she got to contemplate any further of her confusing situation, the strange and beautiful woman talked

"Does it really matter girl? Why don't you just sit down here, and join me for a cup of tea. That might help you…" She said in a melodic voice. She felt compelled to sit down. She kept looking back and forth between the calling and the blanket, but her small disorientation made her choice. So, she sat down next to this mysterious woman. The woman served her the tea, and she sipped the tea, trying to make her discomfort go away

"Is it not beautiful here? It makes one want to stay just a little longer, do you not agree?" the woman asked, taking a sip of her own tea. She looked around, judging her surroundings

"Yes, but I can't stay to long, I have somewhere to go" she replied, taking another sip. It tasted good, but she was getting a little drowsy. The woman beside, her send a smile

"Oh? And where is that, if I may be so bold to ask" She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again when she realized something. She didn't _know_ where she going… Again, her brain told her she was missing something, and not just a little thing, but a big one

"What about music? What are you in the mood for? I can sing well" The woman asked. She thought about it for a second, she could only think of one song, why, she didn't know, but she liked it

"I don't know if you know of it, but at the moment you asked I can't get this one song out of my mind…"

And then she started to sing the song, she weirdly enough could remember as the only thing at the moment

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

_I can feel the night beginning_

_Separate me from the living_

_Understanding me_

_After all I've seen_

_Piecing every thought together_

_Find the words to make me better_

_If I only knew how to pull myself apart_

Then something happened, something small in her head. She started seeing glimpses of a battle, but it was too confusing, to get anything out of it

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

_All that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door –_

_My ghosts are gaining on me_

A picture of a kid with red hair, green eyes and paws popped into her mind, another picture of a silver-haired male, with marks on his face and mesmerizing golden eyes

_I believe that dreams are sacred_

_Take my darkest fears and play them_

_Like a lullaby_

_Like a reason why_

_Like a play of my obsessions_

_Make me understand the lesson_

_So I'll find myself_

_So I wont be lost again_

Pictures of the handsome male with the golden eyes being pierced in the back by light flashed through her eyes

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

_All that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door –_

_My ghosts are gaining on me_

_Guess I thought I'd have to change the world_

_To make you see me_

_To be the one_

_I could have run forever_

_But how far would I have come _

_Without mourning your love?_

The image of her striking a black-haired, red-eyed male in the chest with pink energy flashed by, followed by an image of her crying, watching the golden eyed male among broken trees falling to his knees with his face, hidden in his hands

_All that I'm living for_

_All that I'm dying for_

_All that I can't ignore alone at night_

_All that I'm wanted for_

_Although I wanted more_

_Lock the last open door –_

_My ghosts are gaining on me_

_Should it hurt to love you?_

_Should I feel like I do?_

_Should I lock the last open door –_

_My ghosts are gaining on me_

_(Evanescence – All that I'm living for __The Open door album)_

She felt… sad by this song… the flashes that had appeared through her eyes. Could it have been memories? _Her_ memories?

"It was beautiful, but why are you crying? Does this song mean anything to you?" the woman asked, eyeing her. She touched her cheek. She hadn't even felt the tears, and she still couldn't! What was happening? She only chose to shake her head, indicating she didn't wish to talk about it. She took another sip of her tea, and felt her thoughts becoming cloudy again… some of the things she saw before, had disappeared again… She just didn't seem to be able to recall it. Her instincts to her something was definitely _really_ wrong. She looked down at the tea, then at the woman. She threw the cup away, got to her feet and glared at her

"What is this? What are you trying to pull off?" She asked, taking a few steps back. The woman smirked, and got up from a spot elegantly.

"Of, I am your destiny…" the woman smiled venomously at her

"I am doing my masters bidding" then her eyes became yellow. A weird yellow, she felt she had seen before, and then the woman struck out at her, going for her chest. She went to her left, just barely escaping the woman's blow.

"What! Why! And who is your master that makes you do this?!" She yelled confused and scared. She didn't know what was going on! She jumped backwards with an agility and acrobatic move she never knew she could, not that she remembered a thing of herself, but nice to know she wasn't helpless. The woman smirked at her darkly

"My master has a great grudge for you, and at this moment, your body is dying, affected by my influence" She looked at her shocked. What? Her body was dying? She couldn't help but look down at her body, but nothing seemed off. The woman laughed

"Foolish girl! Your mortal body is fighting me! The poison in your system, injected by my master. And now, I will make sure you will never open your eyes again!" the woman went at her with an incredible speed. She felt blows at her head, her stomach and back… they just kept coming in a speed she had no idea a person could move in. When the poison woman had finally stopped, she fell to the ground. She was all beat up… She wouldn't make it out of here and back to her life where someone might be waiting for her.

'_Kagome'_ she looked up. What was that? The name seemed familiar… Her eyes widen in realization, her _name_. She was sure. Kagome, slowly started to get up despite the pain. With each move in her muscles she remembered something new, and it was overwhelming

'_Kagome'_ Kagome smiled, light started to shine from her inside out

"Sesshoumaru" she said lovingly. She knew that voice… that presence… Her love was with her body, waiting for her to open her eyes. And she didn't want to disappoint him any further. Kagome, because she remembered everything, including her power, ran up to the poison Lady in youkai speed, her hand hammered into the woman's jaw, sending her flying across the clearing.

"You are just as sleazy like your master. When I kick your but down to him, send him and his new tea buddy my regards" with that Kagome gathered all the power she could muster in her hands and then… she threw it at the poison woman. She heard the woman scream in agony. She didn't stay to watch. She was going in the direction of the calling presence.

* * *

><p>Kagome gasped in a breath of air and opened her eyes. She looked around panicking and disoriented, but it all disappeared when she saw the golden eyes that had saved her. She lid up in a big, bright smile<p>

"Sesshoumaru" she was then enveloped in a warm and tight hug. She blinked confused, and saw the silver hair to her side. She smiled and hugged him back

"I am so sorry" she whispered. She really didn't know what else to say. It would almost be too much to ask for his forgiveness. She felt his nose at her neck, taking a big sniff. She felt all the tension in his back disappear

"Why?" came the silent question. She closed her eyes. She had dreaded this moment.

"I had no choice" Kagome answered. Slowly separating herself from his warm, comforting arms. She looked him sadly in his eyes

"I couldn't risk Naraku having the upper hand. If he had known of the two of us, my change… he would have used it against us…" she stopped and looked down. Even though she had said the same things to herself a million times already, she still felt guilty… she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"But, I think there are things you need to know, to fully grasp everything that has been going on… And we need to hear some of it from someone else…" She felt a claw at her jaw, forcing her to look up at him

"Who?" he asked. He didn't seem angry, but he didn't seem happy either. His mask was still on. Kagome offered him a small smile. She stood up on her toes and whispered into his ear. His eyes widen, and she could clearly see the curiosity in his eyes. She smiled brightly at him. Finally, a bit of the old Sesshoumaru was coming out. He nodded and lifted her up, bridal style and went outside.

She saw her friends standing outside, and they all turned in their direction when they exited the hut

"Are you okay Kagome?" Sango asked, running over to see her friend. Miroku, Shippou and Inu-Yasha right behind her. Kagome giggled a bit. She was just happy that her mission was over, her friends were unharmed and she was in Sesshoumaru's arms… And! Hopefully she could fix things between them

"I am alright, a little weak, but fine. We need to go somewhere for a while, so when we are done, I will come back and explain _everything_" Kagome answered, knowing they had a lot of questions for her about the battle, and her un-discussed plans. Inu-Yasha was about to protest and walk over to her, when she heard _and_ felt Sesshoumaru growl at him. Inu-Yasha glared at him, but took a step back. Then Sesshoumaru made his demon cloud and off they went.

"On the way, I would like to know what happened after that night" Kagome inquired, hoping she wasn't overstepping. She knew he had been hurt badly, and probably even more by her recent action, you know, faking to _know_ him. She looked up at him, and she could see all the conflicting emotions in his eyes. Sadness. Loneliness. Anger. Grief. Many emotions just kept displaying all the things he had suppressed throughout the centuries

"I am sorry… You do not have to tell me anything… and I do not have the right to…" Kagome looked down, ashamed. She felt his grip on her tightened

"Words do no longer come easy to this Sesshoumaru, Kagome, but… I will tell you everything from the start…"

Sesshoumaru's memories –

(Told in memory version, instead of explanation version) –

_The night of the Ball –_

_Sesshoumaru almost entered the ball room to track down Lord Yuki and Lord Rai when he heard a scream from the direction he had come from_

"_No! Sesshoumaru! SESSHOUMARU!" It was Kagome's voice! Sesshoumaru ran full speed, back to her room and when he entered, there was no sight of her, and the balcony door was open. Sesshoumaru howled in anger and ran out through the balcony doors, changing into his beast form when he reached outside. He ran through the air in the direction of Kagome's smell. Only after a few minutes he saw a bat like youkai holding onto a panicking and screaming Kagome_

"_Sesshoumaru!" she screamed again when she saw him running towards her. He poured all the power he could into his running. He had to get to her! Before the bat did something to her. Suddenly the bat youkai dropped Kagome in the middle of the air and she was headed down towards a well. Wait… a well? _

'_No!' he ran with all his might towards Kagome. He had to reach her! She could not go back already! He locked eyes with her, and he felt his heart-break with her words_

"_I love you" and then she fell down the well and a light erupted. Sesshoumaru turned back to his humanoid form in mid-air just above the well and went down after her. When he felt ground below his feet, he looked down in disbelief_

'_No'_ _she was gone. She had been sent back… by that bat! He started growling furiously and leapt up in the air, looking; searching for the bat that had taken what was his away. He ran through forests, villages, mountains to find her so he could rip her to pieces. He went to his knees_

'_No… Kagome…' he howled. Howled out his sorrow and for the first time, ever, Sesshoumaru started to cry_

_1 week later –_

"_Son, you cannot keep yourself in there forever! Come out!" he heard his father growl on the other side of his Kagome's bedroom door. It still smelled like her, and it kept him calm to have anything of her still around. He buried himself deeper into her blankets, sniffing it, before going back to sleep… to dream of her…_

_1 year later –_

_Sesshoumaru was staring at the well, remembering 1 year back, when she disappeared through it. He was standing with three soldiers behind him_

"_You will live close by to guard and watch this well. If anything out of the ordinary happens, you will report to me immediately" Sesshoumaru ordered, never taking his eyes of the well. He knew that one day she would return. And he would make sure to keep the well safe while he had to wait. He would make sure she would never miss anything when she finally returned to his arms. Sesshoumaru looked up at the sky, imagining the color of her eyes. He would wait… until the end of days if he had to. He turned around, going back to the Western castle._

_450 years later –_

_This must have been one of her secrets! His father's human hime whore was soon giving birth to a half-breed… She must have known… there was no way she hadn't known… He growled. 451 years had passed since he had last seen her, watching what was his being taking away. He was still furious till this day, but knowing he was going to see her again eased the pain… but THIS …. It was a secret he understood she had kept, but he could not help the stick of anger he felt in his heart… It made him wonder what other secrets she had kept… what else there was to come… It unsettled him greatly… Soon he hoped… soon he hoped he could have his arms around her once again… and then he would never let her go._

_6 months later –_

_Sesshoumaru growled loudly, rage running through him like nothing he had ever felt before, besides the day his Kagome had been taken from him. Secrets! Secrets… his father had died trying to save that human WHORE! And that HALF BREED! The human and her offspring had survived, while his father had died. She must have known this… she had too… How could she look them in the eye and know what she had known?! A small part of him felt… sympathetic to the poor girl who knew she would never see his father again, but the part of him that was the most dominant was his rage… She could have prevented it! Again, a small part of him pointed out she could not risk changing history. Again, the dominant part of him hissed out in outrage that it was the half breeds fault! It was HERS fault for not warning him when she had the chance! He struck his hand into another tree, breaking it on impact. _

'_Soon' he thought. It could not be long now. And then, he would have her and his answers_

_50 years later –_

_Sesshoumaru glared down at the army in front of him. He was in war with the east. The feline race of youkai had taken over the reign after Lord Kyo's death, and now they had waged war with the West for land, since the feline's were breeding fast, and they had become overrun. Which also meant, they had a massive army, and he was currently waiting for Jaken's return. Sesshoumaru had sent him to Inu-Yasha so ask for assistance, since it was a matter of his home country. True, he had kept the whelp out of his country. He was a half-breed, a disgrace to the proud Inu line. But, he had to swallow his pride on this, since they needed the help they could get. Lord Yuki and Lord Rai had offered to help, but the feline's had been clever, and had attacked their castles out of nowhere 2 days ago. Sesshoumaru growled. Where was that annoying toad? He hated to wait. He had been doing that for the past 502 years now, and he had almost given up, if it had not been for what happened next .Jaken came running out from some bushes squealing. Sesshoumaru's eye twitched from pain in his ear. _

"_Milord! Milord! Dreadful news! Inu-Yasha has been sealed to a tree by Priestess Kikiyo who was the protector of the Shikon jewel! I could not do anything. The seal remains in his chest…" Sesshoumaru held up his hand_

"_Enough" he could barely hold his composure. Sealed to a tree. A priestess Kikiyo. Guardian of the Shikon jewel. He exhaled, not realizing he had held his breath… But then he narrowed his eyes… a hanyou friend on her travels… No… He growled. She had not said anything about his name when she told the story, because then she would have to explain who Inu-Yasha was, and that could have changed the history. Her time. He understood, but he felt how the ice around his heart kept forming, and the increasing rage, being kept inside of it… 50 more years, and then he would see her again… with his half-breed half-brother. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the enemy_

"_To war!" and then his army charged at the enemy._

_End of Sesshoumaru's memories –_

Kagome sniffed, while trying to brush her tears away with her sleeve. She knew he would feel betrayed by that. It broke her heart to know the things he had to go through. A price for his life. He had to pay too, like his mother and she had. Though, she thought her sacrifice was nothing compared to her two Inu's.

"I am so sorry" Kagome finally managed to get out. She felt him tighten his grip on her

"This Sesshoumaru was in despair in a long time. The only thing that kept this Sesshoumaru going was the thought of meeting you again, Kagome" Kagome hiccupped a bit from crying too much. He smiled a small smile at her

"After meeting you again a couple of times, this Sesshoumaru finally remembered that you had no knowledge of our time together, and then this Sesshoumaru started planning…" Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to something ahead, and Kagome turned her head to see. She smiled, they were close

"If you had to travel with the half-breed, then he would need to be stronger. So, this Sesshoumaru appeared to be fighting over a sword… When all this Sesshoumaru wanted was for you to be safe, and this Sesshoumaru could in the same way keep an eye on you…" Sesshoumaru was descending, since they had now reached their destination

"This Sesshoumaru waited a long time for you to come back as… _you_" he finished. Kagome dried off the last of her tears, though; she couldn't promise that the stains wouldn't be replaced by new ones later.

"I am so sorry Sesshoumaru. I don't think I have the right to ask you to forgive me, but I will do anything in my power to try to make it up to you for as long as it is going to take, this I swear…" Kagome held a hand, gently to his lips to stop him from speaking. She smiled gently

"… But first, you need a decent explanation, so how about we go see her?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru looked towards the massive oak doors and sighed. He let her down and offered his right arm for support. Kagome whispered a 'thank you', curled her arm around his, and then in they went, to enter the Sky castle.

* * *

><p>Sky castle reception hall –<p>

A massive door opened and they went inside. She looked around and thought it was… a little empty… lonely… dark in colors… Oh her poor Lady! She looked at the throne at the end of the room. Kagome's smile kept growing the closer they got. She saw her Lady looking at her, standing up smiling and ran to her. Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru's arm and ran into her Lady's arms

"I am so happy to see you both are okay" Lady Mayako said, hugging Kagome tightly. Kagome smiled into the woman's hair

"You know me. No one gets hurt on my watch, besides myself" Lady Mayako laughed at that

"Oh my sweetie, I had forgotten how it felt to laugh, and only you have the ability to change that" Lady Mayako let go of Kagome and gave her a gentle tap on her shoulder

"Now not that I am not pleased to see you, but to what do I owe this pleasure?" Lady Mayako asked curiously. Kagome smiled, understanding.

"I believe Sesshoumaru needs the truth… the _whole_ truth Milady… For his peace sake" Kagome said a bit trying, not entirely knowing how sensitive the subject was. Lady Mayako's smile faded, but nodded in agreement

"I believe so too. Come; let us go to my private chambers. It will be more comfortable" she then showed them out of the reception hall, and through a smaller door to the side of the room. After some turning and walking they finally came to the room. With Sesshoumaru's protective arms around her the entire way. When they had finally sat down, and had some tea poured, she started her story

"Kagome knows of this, but I too believe it is time, for you to know the truth. Many centuries ago, when I still had you in my stomach, my seer had a vision of my firstborn's death. Of course, as a mother and Lady to the Western Lands, I could not permit my son and heir to die. So I ordered my seer to find a solution. She did, after some days of praying to the Kami…" Lady Mayako looked intently at her son, and Kagome too looked at him, to see how he was reacting so far. He seemed to be deep in thought… Well, at least he wasn't growling or having a tantrum or anything like Inu-Yasha probably with had reacted. When he looked at his mother, Lady Mayako knew she could continue

"In my seer's vision, sent to her as a solution, she saw a girl. A girl from the far future, who would later in her life travel through time to rid the world of an evil, and she would be travelling with Inu no Tashio's youngest son. But, for me to manipulate time, and _lend _the girl to save you, a price had to be paid…" again she stopped to look at her son's reaction. Kagome didn't need to see his reaction; she could feel his tension and rising anger

"… The price was, I could never again bear a child, and when the child, predestined to travel with Kagome had been born, I would be banished to this castle… But I would never have imagined Tashio would have died that night…" a tear escaped, and rolled down her Lady's cheek. She felt Sesshoumaru shake with anger

"Are you telling this Sesshoumaru, that the reason this Sesshoumaru met Kagome and was saved by her was because of the… Kami's?" he then stood up quickly, his aura flowing angry around him

"That you became infertile and my father had to find another to breed a child because of the… Kami?!" Kagome got to her feet, walked in front of him and cupped both his cheeks with her hands

"They have manipulated, toyed and tossed with the three of us, but I couldn't be more grateful" Kagome said, smiling at him. When she saw his confused eyes, she just smiled more brightly

"Had I not been sent back, then I would never have met Lady Mayako, Lord Tashio and the _you_, I was fortunate enough to meet. I saved your life. I fell in love with you. And I saved you all from death by Lord Kyo and his eastern armies. Had I not been there, you would have died… Your father soon after, and your lands would be in ruin without an heir… "Kagome stroke his cheek gently

"They have caused us a lot of pain, but you cannot ignore the good that came out of it either…" Sesshoumaru looked her deep in her eyes. She could see he was going through the information just given him, and you could see the change the realization made, when he understood what she was saying. He started to smile. She smiled right back at him happily. Yes, she knew she wasn't off the hook yet, but fortunately they had centuries to figure things out together. Sesshoumaru captured her lips in a _long_ waited kiss and she greedily returned it, happy that she was finally back on the path where she belonged. The path with Sesshoumaru and Her on it.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**And that practically concludes the story : ) But wait! I am preparing an Epilogue! So do not worry, you will get to read what happened to all of our favorite characters, so you just wait! Lol. **

**I felt like doing something new in this chapter, hence the song and memory bit, but I hope you enjoyed it ; )**

**Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews : )**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please, please do review : )**

**Love**

**CayaC **


	16. Epilogue - The long waited mating

Epilogue –

6 months later –

Kagome sat in front of the mirror in her room. The servants worked on her hair and makeup, and had been doing so for hours. Tonight was finally the night of their mating. They had used the past 6 months to get to 're-know' each other. Sesshoumaru's heart was still cold, but not as cold as before…

She smiled. So much had happened. Sango and Miroku had married and had moved to the demon slayer village to rebuild it. They had been happy for Kagome, that she had found someone who could love her back completely. Shippou had travelled to a kitsune tribe to start up on his exams. He had been very protective of her when she had explained everything, including the parts of Sesshoumaru. He had not left her alone for a week straight, not until Sesshoumaru had talked with him. She did not know what they had talked about, but it had done the trick. Shippou had the following week, went to the kitsune exams. Inu-Yasha… She giggled… Oh that had been a sight. Apparently, he had already figured their relationship out, and seemed to have no problem with it, he had talked to Sesshoumaru about killing him if he treated her bad, but that was all that happened on that subject. No, the funny part had been when Sesshoumaru had asked for Inu-Yasha to come and live in the castle, and he had received a high position in Sesshoumaru's military. It had taken a while, but after more than 100 good arguments and a couple of sits from Kagome he had finally agreed.

Kagome rose from her chair, looking herself over in the mirror. She then nodded in acceptance to the servants. She had spent 5 months on being 'educated' on how to behave like a Lady and so on… Which had been boring, since many of the topics she had already either been through with her mother or she found it logical. Kagome walked out on her balcony and watched Rin play with Jaken just below her. Jaken had turned a 180, no more name callings or disrespect. No, the total opposite. It had been that bad, that she had ordered him to act as normal. Though he was almost still the same as before, just not as bad now. Kagome looked up towards the sun. A couple of hours and she would be mated to Sesshoumaru! She blushed. They had… kissed… and touched… But the main event had been pushed until their mating ceremony. She felt hands wrap around her waist, and weight on her shoulder

"You look beautiful love" she heard her soon-to-be mate whisper into her ear. Kagome trembled in his embrace. Not from cold. Not from unwillingness. No, but from sheer lust that had been pushed down for a lot longer time than she would have originally thought it would be. She heard him take in a big sniff, and that only made Kagome blush harder, and her blush went deeper when she heard and _felt_ him purr in approval

"Soon love" he whispered, kissing her neck. Kagome tried to breathe slowly and stepped out from his arms

"Now, now. Don't you go ruin the masterpiece your servants have used hours to create" Kagome teased and dared, winking an eye at him. Sesshoumaru smirked, taking a step closer

"**Our** servants koi, and do not fret. It will all be removed in mere seconds when this Sesshoumaru starts his… exploring" Kagome blushed again and smiled deviously

"Oh? Really?! **Only** mere seconds?! I will believe it when I see it…" Kagome giggled and ran inside her bedroom with Sesshoumaru right behind her. Just as Sesshoumaru had captured his price a knock sounded on the door. Kagome giggled when Sessohumaru growled at the door from the interruption

"Oh down boy! You will have to wait with that after the ritual" Lady Mayako said, coming inside the room, accompanied by Lord Yuko, Lord Rai and the Lady of the East, Lady Sonea. They all bowed when entered and they congratulated the couple

"About time! 552 years might have been pushing the courting a bit… Don't you think Rai?" Yuko asked his 'twin'. Rai smirked

"He would have waited even longer for this beauty… And I cannot blame him… If he had not taken her, then I would have…"

"… Or I…" Yuko added. Kagome giggled, and she did so even harder when Sesshoumaru started growling at the two Lord's.

"Do not fret love… There will always only be one for me…" Kagome said sweetly and kissed Sesshoumaru on his cheek. Sesshoumaru then smirked, but still glared at the two Lords.

"Now, why don't you show the Lord's and the Lady to the banquet hall, and then we will join you soon" Kagome suggested. Sesshoumaru's protective (and a bit possessive) grip around her was hurting just a bit. Lady Mayako smiled knowingly with Lady Sonea

"Now pups, why don't I show you the way" she asked, opening the door. The 2 Lords and 1 Lady bowed at the soon-to-be mated couple, and left. But not without the two Lord's winking at Kagome on the way out

"I swear those two have to be twins. They act too much like each other" Kagome mused. She turned in Sesshoumaru arms so she was facing him

"There is only one Lord that should be on your mind at the moment koi" he mumbled. Kagome giggled, he looked so much like a small boy who had to share his favorite toy!

"Oh… I certainly have a Lord occupying my thoughts… Jealous?" she asked devious, smiling cute up to him.

"Very" he answered and hid his face in her hair… Sniffing her again… This she was going to have to get used to… Dogs…

"Well, I wonder if this Lord has the same thoughts as me…" she wondered out cryptically. She moved her hands over his body, slow and seductively

"Just the thought of touching his skin… His lips touching mine… I can barely control myself" Kagome wanted to laugh so bad, this teasing was fun!

"No one will ever get to do that besides me" Sesshoumaru growled low and deep

"Oh? I hope so…" Kagome nipped his earlobe, and then moved to kiss the side of his jaw. Kagome felt his arms hugging her tighter. He raised his head and looked her in her eyes

"So Milord. What do you say about us getting this ritual over and done with, so I can have a long waited fun with my special _Lord_" Kagome smirked. She could feel Sesshoumaru was barely able to control himself. She ducked out from his hug and stuck out her tongue before running down towards the banquet hall, laughing the entire way when she was certain she heard him say

'_minx'_… Sesshoumaru was on her heels…

* * *

><p>After ritual and the party –<p>

Kagome was standing in front of _their _bed. She almost felt like a prey, about to be devoured by the predator. Kagome trembled at the thought. She took a seductive step back, and in a flash he was over her, ripping her clothes off of her. Kagome was giggling the entire time, but she was silenced by Sesshoumaru's lips that kissed her hungrily. He too, had waited for this day, for him to make her _his_ for good. Kagome answered his kiss with the same desperate feeling, opening her mouth to let him explore. His hand went down, travelling, caressing its way down from her breast to her thigh, and back up slow and seductively again. Kagome ripped his haori off and started to kiss his neck, and he did the same with her. She moaned when she felt a finger at her clitoris, rubbing it ever so gently. He kept teasing her, until she too repaid the favor by touching his length, travelling her hand up and down the length of it. He growled in appreciation and locked eyes with her. She was definetly wet enough to take him. Kagome nodded. It was her first time, but honestly… She just couldn't wait anymore! How the hell he had managed to wait 552 years and not have laid was very impressive, and she was going to repay him for that, for the next 552 years, and even long after that Kagome thought devious.

Kagome gasped when she felt a small pain. He had already entered her! She felt lips above hers, and in a slow steady pace they melted together, until both of them could not take anymore and the pace hastened. Kagome moaned loud, gripping Sesshoumaru on his shoulders, letting her claws dig through his skin, while Sesshoumaru kept the insane pace he was going.

"Oh… Sess… Sesshoumaru!" Kagome screamed in an orgasm. He kept going, until she felt close again. She bid him in the neck, drinking some of his blood, which only added fuel to the orgasm, and so did Sesshoumaru with her when they both came at the same time. She felt their aura flowing around them, mixing, and caress them. Sesshoumaru licked the blood away from her neck, and laid down on the bed, tucking Kagome up beside him

"Mate" she said, trying it out for the first time, and while she tried to catch her breath. She felt herself being hold closer

"Mate" he whispered back lovingly

So after 552 years, they had finally mated. And it would be an amazing journey ahead of them. You never know, maybe she wanted to create a new path with Sesshoumaru later, but for now… They just enjoyed each other on the path they were currently on.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**Thank you to all the readers, followers and those of you who have been so sweet as to review. I finally finished my first fan-fic., and I hope you enjoyed it! So, once again, please review your entire take on the story and this last chapter (I have not EVER written a sex scene before… Hope you weren't too disappointed). Those of you who have asked for a sequel… Can't promise anything, since I have a couple more stories to finish… But you never know ; ) **

**Again, thank you all so much, the reviews have been so awesome and wonderful!**

**BIG Love from yours**

**CayaC**


	17. Author's note no 2!

**Author's note** –

**The text below, I wrote in my new story 'Kagome's Secret', had to get it out, but because it was mostly about this story, then I am posting it here too for my readers/followers to read.**

**And… When I am done with the rest of my stories, I will write a sequel to Kagome's Path. I got a major inspiration trip, thanks to my boyfriend, so I have most of the plot and storyline to the sequel, but that will have to wait… One of the reasons: read below and you will know why;**

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter out! Had to work a little extra on this chapter with the KogaSesshoumaru bit to not disappoint you ; )… **

**And I would like to apologize to all of my readers who find it difficult to read my stories because of my grammar… or lack thereof… I am from Denmark and it is the first time I am writing this much on English, and I know since I chose to write it on English that I should pay more attention to the grammar… sorry… I thought I did, but I know it is not enough… I will get to it when I have a friend who is sharper at English grammar than me… **

**But I would also like to point out that we all write differently in our story telling, so if you expect to read the same writing style (like describing **_**every**_** single detail like smell, color, sounds and feelings) then it can become a bother to the reader because of too much information, which can make it totally boring to read in the end, but that is just my personal opinion… I like variety in the way people write their stories, you cannot expect people to write in the same style, if everyone did that, then there wouldn't be failures, some good ones and those who are really great, because there would only be the same kind of books with the same style in all of them… how boring if you ask me… So do not tell me to copy of some other writers way to tell a story, please! **

**Critic is good, I am not bitching about it… though the critic I just got from 'Kagome's path' kind of made me a bit sad… This is practice to when I start writing on my real book on the Danish language. I recognize that there are people out there who will not enjoy my stories, and that is fair enough, everyone is entitled to their personal taste and opinions, but if you don't like my style, then don't read it… simple as that… **

**To those of you who do not have a problem with my style and storytelling/ subject, thank you so much for reading my stories : ) Your positive feedback makes me want to write more and work harder for you guys… **

**Hope you enjoyed and please review… Even if it is critic… That is how one grows and might become better… Again I am sorry about my poor grammar errors… The spelling I can definitely work on and I will when I get the time… So please be patient… **

**Love**

**CayaC**

**(P.S. to you who have read Kagome's path and criticized it ****If I had made Kagome an elemental youkai from the beginning, then that would just have fucked my poems up, and those were hard to make and where important in the story! I love writing fantasy, but when it comes to poems… Argh! And if I had removed the entire elemental youkai bit, then it would just have fucked up the entire story… And… I disagree when you say Sesshoumaru and Inu-no-Tashio is basically the same in the story, there are similarities… but come on… They are father and son… There are bound to be some similarities... The apple does not fall far from the tree… Ever heard of that? I get you did not like it… Fair enough… Then stop reading it… No one is forcing you… But thanks anyway… It gave me something to think about)**


End file.
